At approximately 7:28 P.M. on October 9, 2023, the Ohio State Highway Patrol responded to a two-vehicle accident that occurred on US-23 near milepost 1 in Scioto Township, Pike County.
The incident involved an 82-year-old Piketon resident, Robert V. Lawson, who was operating a 2005 Honda Motorcycle while traveling southbound on US-23. The second vehicle, a 2016 Jeep Cherokee, was driven by Chase A. Howell, a 22-year-old from Portsmouth, Ohio. Both vehicles were headed southbound on US-23 when the collision occurred.
Initial reports indicate that the 2016 Jeep Cherokee failed to maintain a safe following distance, resulting in a rear-end collision with the 2005 Honda Motorcycle. This impact caused the motorcycle to veer off the left side of the road, subsequently colliding with a guardrail and a concrete barrier.
Due to the severity of the accident, Air Evac was called to the scene. They transported Mr. Lawson to Cabell Huntington Hospital in Huntington, West Virginia, for treatment of his serious injuries. Mr. Howell came away from the incident without any reported injuries.
**UPDATE: Tuesday morning, October 10th the Patrol was notified by the West Virginia Medical Examiner that Mr. Lawson had died from his injuries.
The collision led to the closure of the roadway for several hours as troopers from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other assisting agencies conducted their investigations.
Please note that all information provided is subject to updates as the investigation continues.
(Source: Ohio State Highway Patrol)