A 36-year-old Lancaster man died after his car veered off Horns Mill Road in Berne Township and overturned in the early hours of Wednesday, according to state troopers. The driver was ejected from the vehicle and later died at a Columbus-area hospital. Troopers say the crash remains under investigation.
What troopers said
The Ohio State Highway Patrol says the crash happened around 2:40 a.m. when a 2013 Fiat 500 traveling north on Horns Mill Road lost control while navigating a curve, struck an embankment, and overturned, ejecting the driver. Troopers identified the driver as 36-year-old Ian James McCoy of Lancaster. He was taken to Fairfield Medical Center and later transferred to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead. Troopers told investigators that alcohol is a suspected contributing factor, according to 10TV.
A road with a crash history
The stretch of Horns Mill Road where the collision occurred appears on the Ohio Department of Transportation's county "high-crash" map for Fairfield County, which flags county and township roads that see repeated collisions. The mapping highlights how tight curves and narrow rural roads can have deadly consequences when drivers lose control, particularly at night or when impairment is suspected, per the Ohio Department of Transportation.
Local context
The crash is the latest deadly collision in the Lancaster area this year. Pleasantville Road smashup coverage detailed a March wreck that similarly left a Lancaster resident dead. Local officials and state troopers continue to urge drivers to avoid impaired driving, slow for curves, and report any information that could help investigators as the probe continues.
