By Carol McIntire
Editor
June 10, 2008

A 26-year-old Louisville, who was riding the motorcycle shown above, was killed when the bike crashed into a pickup driven by Christopher Jones of Carrollton.

Seconds after the air bags deployed in Chris Jones' 2007 Chevrolet half-ton pickup late Sunday afternoon when it was struck by a motorcycle, OnStar officials made contact with the truck to ask if Jones was okay.

OnStar's Advanced Automatic Crash Notification system then contacted the Carroll County Sheriff's Office to alert them of the crash. "I remember hearing a voice saying  the airbags had deployed and then asking me if I was ok," said Jones, who was not injured in the crash. "When the truck stopped, I sat there for a minute and then got out of the truck in the field and saw the power lines were down so I knew I couldn't walk behind the truck. I remember hearing the voice asking if anyone in the vehicle could talk. I answered and then realized other people who heard the crash were also calling for help."

Jones was the fortunate one in the crash. The driver of the motorcycle, David L. Cook, 26, of Westmore St., Lousville, died as a result of injuries he sustained in the crash, which occurred on SR 43 about a quarter mile north of the junction of Gallo Rd. in Harrison Township.

Troopers at the New Philadelphia Post of the Ohio Highway Patrol said Jones was traveling south on SR 43 at about 5:07 p.m. when his truck was struck on the left front corner by the motorcycle, which was left of center. Jones said he applied the brakes and tried to move the truck to the right shoulder of the road to avoid impact with the motorcycle, but it was not possible. Cook was ejected from the motorcycle upon impact.

Witnesses said the motorcycle, which was a 1994 Harley Davidson Ultra Glide Classic belonging to Cook's late father, flew into the air several feet, exploded and landed in the middle of the roadway where it burned. Cook was lying in the roadway near where the impact occurred.

Jones' truck went off the right side of the road, struck a utility pole, breaking it off and traveled into a field, breaking off fence posts as it went. Jones was wearing a seat belt.

Cook was flown by Med Flight helicopter to Aultman Hospital at Canton, where he was pronounced dead at 6:02 p.m. He was not wearing a helmet.

Carroll County Sheriff Dale Williams said Cook was traveling with two other motorcyclists, who were ahead of him at the time of the crash. Williams said beer cans were found in Cook's cargo bag on the motorcycle. However, he said he believed the beer was purchased in the Carrollton area and Cook didn't consume any before the accident.

Carrollton Village and Carroll County firefighters assisted at the scene along with Carrollton Police officers and sheriff deputies.

American Electric Power Company (AEP) officials were called to the scene to cut power to the downed line.

Cook's father, Paul H. Cook, 52, died in a vehicle crash March 13 in Stark County when an 18-year-old Hartville man dozed off, went left of center and drove head-on into the Cook vehicle on SR 619.

Troopers said the crash remains under investigation and they do not know why the driver went left of center. Excessive speed is not believed to be a factor.

It was the fifth traffic fatality in Carroll County in 2008. The last was also a motorcycle accident that occurred May 18 on Alamo Rd.