COLUMBUS, Ohio – There were three fatal accidents on central Ohio roadways in a little over 12 hours Thursday and Friday, two of them involving motorcyclists.
Leo Salyer, of Obetz, died when he laid his bike down to avoid hitting a tractor-trailer on Obetz Road east of Lockbourne Industrial Drive shortly after 4:00 Thursday afternoon, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office investigators said.
Accident investigators say Salyer, 59, was driving a Kawasaki motorcycle westbound and was trying to make a left turn into the driveway of 1500 Obetz Road. Attempting to avoid an eastbound semi-tractor truck and trailer, deputies say Salyer laid the bike down and slid into the rear of the semi and then into another eastbound vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene by Hamilton Township paramedics.
Sherriff’s office officials say Salyer was not wearing a helmet.
Columbus police say alcohol may have played a role in a motorcycle accident that shut down a major freeway for part of the Friday morning rush-hour.
Stratis Kostoglou was traveling northbound on state Route 315 at approximately 2:20 a.m. when his 2009 Honda collided with the rear of a 2005 Pontiac Vibe driven by Matthew Martin, said Det. Connie Brant of the Accident Investigators Unit.
The northbound lanes of SR 315 were closed between I-670 and Ackerman Road for about five hours.
Kostaglou was pronounced dead at the scene, Brant says.
Pending the results a toxicology examination, Brant says alcohol may have been a factor.
At approximately 6:00 a.m. a fatal accident was reported on state Route 31 between state Routes 347 and 47 in Union County. No other information was available Friday mornig.