A 42-year-old Elyria man died Monday night after his motorcycle veered off State Route 60 in Florence Township, struck a parked car and tore through two fences before coming to rest alongside the road. Justin Henschel was riding a southbound 2025 Kawasaki Ninja when he failed to negotiate a curve just south of State Route 113 at around 9:45 p.m., according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Henschel's motorcycle traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck an unoccupied parked vehicle, according to investigators cited by WKYC, the Cleveland NBC affiliate that confirmed his identity and the crash location. The impact ejected Henschel, who came to rest off the left side of the road. Local outlet StayTunedSandusky reported that he was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.
The motorcycle itself did not stop at the point of impact. According to New London Newsroom, after colliding with the parked vehicle, the Ninja continued forward off the road and crashed through two separate fences before finally stopping. The sequence suggests significant speed and momentum behind the initial collision, though investigators have not released a determination on contributing factors.
Multiple Agencies Responded to the Scene
The Erie County Sheriff's Office, Florence Township Fire Department, Citizen Ambulance and Central Automotive Towing all assisted at the crash scene, per the reporting. The Ohio State Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and says it will release further details as additional information becomes available. Open questions remain, including what role speed, road lighting or mechanical issues may have played in Henschel losing control, and why an unoccupied vehicle was parked along that stretch of State Route 60.
Ohio's helmet requirements depend on a rider's age and licensing history; Henschel was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
A Dangerous Season for Ohio Riders
A Dangerous Season for Ohio Riders The crash adds to a grim statewide picture for motorcyclists. More than 1,000 motorcyclists were killed on Ohio roadways from 2020 through 2024. Hoodline reported that roughly 81 percent of Ohio motorcycle fatalities from 2020 to early 2025 involved riders who had not completed a formal safety course. A separate Ohio State Highway Patrol statement cited by WTOL 11 found that 63 percent of motorcyclists killed in Ohio crashes over a five-year span were not wearing helmets, while 53 percent of at-fault riders lacked a valid motorcycle license endorsement.
Henschel's death came nine calendar days after an 18-year-old Vermilion teen died in a similar single-vehicle motorcycle crash in Rice Township, after failing to navigate a curve on State Route 19 late at night. That rider was not wearing a helmet.
