x
Breaking News
More () »

OSHP releases findings of head-on crash in Preble County that left deputy, man dead

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. There were no passengers in either vehicle.

GRATIS, Ohio — The Ohio State Highway Patrol has released its findings of a head-on crash in Preble County that left a deputy and another man dead on Dec. 18.

The crash happened on state Route 503 in Gratis Township around 4:10 a.m. OSHP says 34-year-old deputy Joshua Hamilton who was working road patrol, was heading southbound in a marked cruiser while 36-year-old Michael Gayhart II was heading northbound.

RELATED: OSHP: 2 dead, including deputy, after head-on crash in Preble County

The two vehicles collided head-on.

Troopers found that Hamilton was heading northbound one minute before the fatal crash. Dashcam footage from the deputy’s cruiser shows a vehicle passing him southbound at what appeared to be above the posted speed limit.

Hamilton turned around in a residential driveway and attempted to catch up to the southbound vehicle. A short time later, his cruiser goes left of center as he enters the curve just north of Ray Road, where the crash happened, according to OSHP.

Credit: WHIO

Both men were pronounced dead at the scene. There were no passengers in either vehicle.

The crash remains under investigation, OSHP said.

Local News: Recent Coverage ⬇️

📺 10TV+ is available for free: Stay up to date on what's happening in your community with a 24/7 live stream and on demand content from 10TV — available on Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV.

📧 Subscribe to the Wake Up CBUS newsletter featuring the best stories, personally curated by members of our staff and delivered via email by 6 a.m., Monday through Friday.

Before You Leave, Check This Out