MARION — A 79-year-old Marion man died Tuesday after injuries he sustained in a motorcycle crash on Monday in Marion County, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
James P. Wetzel succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced deceased at Grant Medical Center on Tuesday.
Two other people involved in the crash were uninjured, the Patrol reported.
The incident occurred on Monday, Aug. 5 at approximately 2:09 p.m., on U.S. 23 in Marion County.
According to the Patrol, the crash involved a 2015 Freightliner Cascadia semi-tractor trailer, driven by Abdulkhalif Mohamed Warsame, 40, of Gahanna. The second vehicle involved was a 2011 Harley Davidson Tri Glide Ultra motorcycle, driven by Wetzel. The third vehicle involved was a 2019 Ford Taurus, driven by Jonathan T. Cathers, 44, of Oregon, Ohio.
The preliminary investigation indicated Warsame and Wetzel were traveling northbound on U.S. 23 in the right lane. Meanwhile, Cathers was traveling northbound on U.S. 23 in the left lane.
The Patrol reported that Wetzel slowed to turn right to travel eastbound on Linn Hipsher Rd. (County Road 195). Warsame swerved to the right, traveled onto the paved berm, and struck Wetzel’s motorcycle.
Warsame’s truck then traveled off the northeast side of the intersection, struck a stop sign, and came to final rest in a ditch. Cathers vehicle struck debris from the crash.
Wetzel sustained serious injuries and was transported from the scene by Salt Rock EMS to Marion General Hospital. He was later flown to Grant Medical Center.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol was assisted on scene by Salt Rock Fire and EMS, Marion Township EMS, Ohio Department of Transportation, Liverpool Towing and Kirby’s Towing.
The crash remains under investigation.