A stretch of highway turned tragic late Monday night after a motorcycle crash claimed the life of a local resident. The incident happened just after 9 p.m. along State Route 7 in Columbiana County.
David Bell, a 35-year-old resident of Wellsville, was riding his 2008 Suzuki motorcycle southbound on the state route. For reasons troopers are still looking into, his motorcycle suddenly drifted off the right side of the road.
The bike went off the pavement and slammed into a guardrail before flipping over. The force of the impact threw Bell from the vehicle in the darkness along the shoulder.
Emergency crews responded quickly to the scene following emergency calls. Units from the Negley Fire Department and local medical teams arrived alongside state troopers, but Bell had suffered critical injuries. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
State troopers conducting the initial investigation noted that Bell was not wearing a helmet at the time of the wreck. Safety gear can often mean the difference between life and death, making its absence a key detail for officials on site.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol also indicated that alcohol is believed to have played a role in the accident. Investigators are continuing to examine the crash site to figure out what caused the motorcycle to leave the lane.
News of Bell’s death spread quickly through Wellsville, leaving family members, friends, and neighbors grieving the sudden loss. Local authorities, along with the Columbiana County Coroner’s Office, remain on the case as the investigation stays open.
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