A 40-year-old former college offensive lineman, Kirk Barton, who played for the Ohio State Buckeyes, has been charged in connection with a high-speed crash that left a 24-year-old driver dead.
Videos by Suggest
According to a release issued by the City of Dublin, the crash occurred at 2:56 a.m. on Saturday, June 21. Allegedly, Barton, who was riding a Ford F150 Raptor pickup truck, was driving at a “high rate of stepped” on U.S. 33/S.R. 161.
After entering Historic Dublin, Barton is accused of striking a Lexus on West Bridge Street, near Franklin Street. The Lexus driver, later identified as Ethan Wence Perry, was traveling eastbound on West Bridge Street. As a result of the crash, Perry died at the scene.
West Bridge Street and North High Street, as well as the S.R. 1616/Riverside Drive roundabout, were closed following the crash. More than seven hours later, at 10:15 a.m., roads were reopened.
Meanwhile, Barton reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to the Riverside Methodist Hospital. After he was released, he was transferred into Dublin Police custody.
Barton Charged
Franklin County Municipal Court records obtained by the Buckeye Sports Bulletin reveal that Kirk Barton was charged with second-degree aggravated vehicular homicide/manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence. Barton will be arraigned on Monday, June 23, at 9 a.m., as per NBC 4i.
Barton also owns Buckeye Scoop, an Ohio State football website. The website’s X account addressed the crash via a short statement.
“We just learned of the devastating news regarding Kirk’s involvement in a fatal incident,” Buckeye Scoop wrote on X. “We are heartbroken for Ethan Perry and his loved ones. This is a tragedy. At this time, we are gathering information and will have more to say when appropriate.”
According to The Columbus Dispatch, Barton played offensive lineman for the Buckeyes from 2003 to 2007. He earned first-team All-American honors back in 2007, and he was drafted in the seventh round of the NFL draft to the Chicago Bears. He played for the Bears in one game.
Court records cited by the outlet show Barton’s history of traffic offenses. He has paid fines for speeding and operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Barton was also charged with felonious assault on a law enforcement officer back in 2018, as per The Columbus Dispatch.