A weekend motorcycle crash along State Route 7 in Belmont County has turned fatal after a Martins Ferry man succumbed to his injuries days later in a Pittsburgh hospital, authorities said. The wreck happened Saturday on a rural stretch of the highway near milepost 15 in Pulney Township, where the motorcycle overturned and left both the rider and his passenger badly hurt.
Troopers: Rear tire blowout flipped the bike
The Ohio State Highway Patrol told WTRF that 50-year-old Ronald Shaw of Martins Ferry was riding a 2016 Victory motorcycle when the rear tire blew out, causing the bike to overturn. Shaw and his 40-year-old passenger, Melinda Shaw, were not wearing helmets at the time, according to troopers.
Both were flown by STAT Medevac to a UPMC hospital in Pittsburgh. The patrol told WTRF that Ronald Shaw died from his injuries on Wednesday, while his passenger remained hospitalized with serious injuries.
County crash data shows motorcycle deaths recur
State crash summaries from the Ohio State Highway Patrol show that deadly motorcycle crashes have been a recurring problem in Belmont County. The agency’s county fatal-crash summary lists two motorcycle-related deaths in 2020, three in 2021 and one in 2022, according to Ohio State Highway Patrol data.
Investigation ongoing
Troopers told WTRF that the crash remains under investigation and that no additional details had been released. Authorities have not said whether any citations or charges might follow as investigators continue to review the scene and circumstances surrounding the blowout.
