A 78-year-old driver attempted to turn into the entrance of Wayne Lakes on Thursday evening, but the maneuver placed her Chevrolet directly in the path of an approaching motorcycle. The resulting collision killed 52-year-old Rickie Hess Jr. in Darke County, Ohio.
The crash happened on October 29, 2026, at around 5:30 p.m. along State Route 121, in the 3400 block near the entrance to Wayne Lakes. The Darke County Sheriff’s Office responded alongside the New Madison Fire Department and Tri-Village Rescue.
Preliminary information released by investigators indicates that Hess was traveling south on a 2000 Harley-Davidson motorcycle. At the same time, a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox was heading north along the same stretch of highway.
The Chevrolet was driven by 78-year-old Charlene Flatter, a Wayne Lakes resident. Investigators said Flatter attempted to turn into the entrance of Wayne Lakes, but her vehicle entered the path of Hess’s southbound motorcycle.
The vehicles collided, and the consequences were fatal for the motorcyclist. Hess, 52, was pronounced dead at the scene despite the emergency response. Authorities have not reported that he survived the initial impact.
Flatter was evaluated by medical personnel following the collision and released at the scene. No further details about her condition were included in the initial information released by authorities.
The seriousness of the crash prompted further investigation. An investigator from the Darke County Coroner’s Office responded, along with the Darke County Sheriff’s Office Accident Reconstruction Team. Their work is expected to help establish the circumstances surrounding the collision.
The sheriff’s office has confirmed that the investigation remains open. Officials have not announced any additional findings or conclusions about the events leading up to the crash.
For Hess’s loved ones, however, the outcome is already devastating. He was 52 years old, and his life ended in a collision that happened within moments on a stretch of State Route 121. While investigators work to piece together the final details, his family and friends must now face the loss of someone whose place in their lives cannot simply be filled.
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