A Saturday evening ride on State Route 266 in Windsor Township turned deadly when a single-vehicle motorcycle crash killed a Malta man and left his passenger seriously injured, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Troopers said the motorcycle left the roadway, lay over on its side, and threw both riders from the bike. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene, while the passenger was flown out with severe injuries. The wreck drew volunteer fire, EMS, and county units to the remote stretch of road as troopers and the coroner worked into the night.
According to the Zanesville Times Recorder, the driver was identified as Richard M. Brooks, 48, of Malta, and the passenger as 41-year-old April L. Santek. That report states the motorcycle was a 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide and that Santek was flown to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in Columbus. Hospital listings later showed her in stable condition.
Troopers say drugs suspected
Per the Marietta Times, the Marietta Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said the crash happened around 8:30 p.m. near mile marker 7 on Ohio 266 and that drugs are suspected to have been a factor. Troopers said both riders were separated from the motorcycle when it went onto its side, and the crash remains under investigation.
Response and next steps
Responding agencies included the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, several volunteer fire departments and EMS crews, the Ohio Department of Transportation, MedFlight, and the Morgan County Coroner’s Office, according to the News and Sentinel. Troopers said the investigation is ongoing and asked anyone with information about what led up to the crash to contact the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s Marietta Post.
Where this fits locally
Per the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s county fatality report, Morgan County recorded three motorcycle-related fatal crashes in 2024; the report is available from the OSHP statistics pages at OSHP statistics. Investigators typically wait for toxicology results and crash reconstruction work before releasing final findings, and troopers said they expect the probe into this crash to continue.
