A fatal roadside crash in Marion County ended with a Detroit man arrested at a Columbus home after investigators say he left the wreck on foot with a child. The victim, 27-year-old Marion resident Dempsey L. DeAngelo, died at the scene.
The crash happened Tuesday on U.S. Route 23 near State Route 98 in Pleasant Township, according to NBC4 WCMH-TV. Authorities said a Mercury Grand Marquis drove off the road and struck a disabled Buick LeSabre. DeAngelo was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the suspect as 47-year-old Devon R. Kennedy, of Detroit. Troopers said Kennedy was arrested yesterday at a Columbus home and booked into the Franklin County Jail. A 44-year-old third passenger stayed at the crash scene, while Kennedy allegedly fled on foot with a child who was also in the Mercury.
Marion County Had Already Seen Five Fatal Crashes This Year
The latest crash came after Marion County had already recorded a troubling number of deadly wrecks. A June 15 fact sheet from the Ohio State Highway Patrol listed five fatal crashes in the county in 2026, compared with seven in all of 2025 and eight in 2024.
The patrol’s report showed that two of the county’s 2026 fatal crashes through June 15 involved motorcycles, while one was categorized as OVI-related and another as commercial-related. Those figures predate Tuesday’s collision, meaning the county’s total may have changed as investigators continue processing the latest case.
Suspect Faces Third-Degree Felony Charge
Kennedy is charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, a third-degree felony, according to NBC4. The charge is an accusation, not a conviction, and the report did not state that Kennedy had entered a plea. He is expected to be arraigned in Marion Municipal Court at a later date.
Under Ohio law, aggravated vehicular homicide generally applies when a driver causes a death through reckless operation, although the classification can become more serious in cases involving OVI, prior offenses or license-related factors. The state’s separate stop-after-an-accident statute also treats a fatal failure to stop as a felony, with a higher degree possible when prosecutors allege the driver knew someone had died.
The circumstances that caused the Mercury to leave the roadway, along with the child’s condition and whether additional charges could follow, were not detailed in the initial report. The investigation remains with the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
