A 72-year-old Reynoldsburg man died Tuesday afternoon after his motorcycle collided with a pickup truck on State Route 158 near Kirkersville, in Licking County. Garry A. Tucker was riding a 2012 Harley-Davidson north on SR-158 when a southbound 2019 Toyota Tacoma attempted to turn left in front of him, and the motorcycle struck the truck. Tucker was taken to Mount Carmel East Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The crash happened around 3:20 p.m. near Interstate 70, according to NBC4i, which reported that West Licking Fire and EMS assisted state troopers at the scene. The driver of the Tacoma, a 71-year-old from Dallas, Texas, was not injured, per the same report.
Helmet Use
NBC4i reported that Tucker was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash remains under investigation.
A Broader Pattern on Ohio Roads
Tucker's death adds to a sobering trend across the state. Ohio recorded 19,674 motorcycle-involved crashes between 2021 and 2025, according to a report cited by WKBN, with 1,060 of those crashes proving fatal. Those five years of crashes resulted in 17,500 injuries and 1,096 deaths statewide, the outlet reported.
Helmet use factors heavily into the outcomes of those crashes. Per the same WKBN report, 66% of motorcyclists killed and 60% of those injured in Ohio motorcycle crashes during that period were not wearing a helmet, underscoring the significance of helmet use in crash outcomes.
