Two people were killed and a juvenile passenger was seriously injured in a devastating head-on collision Saturday morning on U.S. Route 62 in Perry Township, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Authorities identified the victims as 21-year-old Cole Scholey of Beach City and 56-year-old Kelly Kemp of Massillon.
Troopers said the crash occurred around 7:15 a.m. near milepost 11. Investigators reported that Scholey was driving a 2019 Ford Ranger northbound when, for reasons still under investigation, he traveled left of center and entered the southbound lane. His vehicle then struck a 2021 Honda Odyssey head-on that was being driven by Kemp.
The force of the impact caused catastrophic damage to both vehicles.
Kelly Kemp was pronounced dead at the scene as a result of injuries sustained in the crash.
Cole Scholey was critically injured in the collision and was transported by emergency responders to Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries despite medical efforts to save his life.
A juvenile passenger riding in Kemp’s vehicle also suffered serious injuries in the crash. The child was transported to Aultman Hospital for emergency treatment.
According to investigators, neither driver was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. Authorities also noted that speed is suspected to be a contributing factor, though the exact circumstances leading up to the collision remain under investigation.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said troopers are continuing to examine evidence from the scene, including vehicle positions, roadway markings, and witness information, to determine what led to the fatal left-of-center movement.
The crash remains under active investigation as officials work to fully reconstruct the events of that tragic Saturday morning that claimed two lives and left a young passenger seriously injured.
