In less than 24 hours the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s New Philadelphia Post handled two motorcycle crashes.
The first was on Friday at 9:15pm. Sgt. Jennifer Makris says a 2020 Harley Davidson was traveling on South Wooster Avenue in the Village of Strasburg.
“Meanwhile a Toyota Rav4 was making a turn from a private driveway onto US 250 and the Harley Davidson struck the Toyota Rav4 on the left side.”
The motorcyclist, 38-year-old Nichole VanMeter, of Strasburg, was pronounced deceased at Mercy Hospital. The SUV driver, a 24-year-old from Akron sustained possible injuries. OSP says impairment was not a factor and VanMeter was not wearing a helmet.
Troopers then on Saturday responded to another crash scene involving a motorcycle. Makris says this was just after 5pm on State Route 800, near the intersection of Froman Hill Road.
“A 2006 Harley Davidson was traveling southwest on SR 800. It was traveling behind a pickup truck according to a witness. The pickup truck slowed to make a return on Froman Hill Road.”
In an attempt to avoid striking the back of the truck, the motorcyclist, Jack Lineberry, 63, of New Philadelphia, laid the motorcycle down and slid off the roadway striking a guardrail. Lineberry was life flighted to Summa Health and the Patrol was notified on Sunday that he had succumbed to injuries.
Makris adds that Lineberry was not wearing a helmet at the time and impairment is a factor.
Both fatal crashes remain under investigation.
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