Two people were killed late Tuesday night when their motorcycle collided with an SUV turning into a private driveway on state Route 43, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Troopers said Richard Townsend Jr., 53, of Magnolia, was operating a 2013 Harley-Davidson northbound around 11:57 p.m. when the motorcycle struck a southbound 2021 Subaru Forester. The SUV was turning into a driveway at the time of the crash.
Jennifer Byers, 48, of Navarre, was riding as a passenger on the motorcycle. Both Townsend and Byers were pronounced dead at the scene by the Stark County Coroner’s Office.
The driver of the SUV, identified as 89-year-old Merle Pearson of Waynesburg, was not reported injured.
Authorities said neither Townsend nor Byers was wearing a helmet.
The crash remains under investigation. The Ohio Department of Transportation, Mohawk Valley Fire and EMS, and Spencer’s Towing responded to the scene.
