BY THE MARYSVILLE JOURNAL-TRIBUNE STAFF
MARYSVILLE — A Milford Center man has died as a result of a two-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon.
Clinton A. Rice, 45, was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon at Memorial Hospital in Marysville.
At about 4:01 p.m., the Union County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 emergency call reporting the crash. Deputies and units from the Allen and Union township fire departments responded to the scene.
First responders found that Rice and a juvenile passenger had been thrown from the motorcycle. Both victims on the motorcycle were wearing helmets.
Both were initially transported to Memorial Hospital. The passenger, a girl in her teens, was transferred from Memorial Hospital to Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.
According to information from the Union County Sheriff’s Office, about 4 p.m. Wednesday, Rice was riding his northbound 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle on Buck Run Road in Allen Township.
Officials said a “preliminary investigation” determined that as the motorcycle was in the 22000 block, south of Route 245, the driver hit a 2021 Dodge Ram Truck driven by James I. Harris of Raymond. Investigators said the southbound truck turned left across the northbound lane, pulling into the driveway of a home under construction.
Deputies said Harris was alone in the truck and was not injured.
“At this time, investigators do not suspect alcohol or drugs to be a factor in the crash,” according to information from the Union County Sheriff’s Office. “The crash remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.”
Chief Deputy Tom Morgan, with the Union County Sheriff’s Office, said there are “a number of factors in the investigation that are still pending,” including speed of the vehicles. He stressed there have been no charges filed.
Union County Sheriff Jamie Patton said that “until the investigation is finalized, we don’t know or have the specifics.”
“It is a tragedy that a life has been lost in our county,” Patton said. “We are a strong county and I know the county will get behind and support this family as they go through this.”