CENTERTOWN, OH : Two facing murder charges after Ohio County off-road vehicle crash on Sunday, 25th August 2019
Two Kentucky men face several charges, including murder, after crashing the side-by-side utility task vehicles they were driving into each other early Sunday.
Kentucky State Police troopers are investigating the two-vehicle wreck which killed Ashley Carver, 39, of Greenville.
(Side-by-side UTVs -- usually bigger than ATVs -- can carry anywhere from two to six people, and have a passenger seat next to the driver.)
Troopers were notified of the wreck around 1 a.m. by Ohio County authorities.
Zachary T. Barker, 25, of Utica and James H. Rone, 51, of Centertown, were both arrested and charged with murder, assault first-degree, wanton endangerment first-degree and driving under the influence -- aggravated circumstances.
Gregory M. Barker, 49, of Hartford was arrested and charged with obstructing emergency responders first-degree, menacing and disorderly conduct.
KSP said the preliminary investigation reveals Zachary Barker was operating a side-by-side UTV on a gravel haul road near KY 85 outside of Centertown with Rone, who was also operating a side-by-side UTV. Zachary Barker failed to see Rone attempting to pass him and steered his vehicle into the driver's side rear of Rone's vehicle, according to the KSP news release. The collision caused Rone's UTV to lose control and overturn multiple times.
Carver, Tonya Rone, 44 of Centertown, and a 10-year-old were all passengers on Rone's UTV and were ejected. Tonya Rone and the juvenile were both transported via Air Evac to St. Vincent Hospital in Evansville for life-threatening injuries. Their condition is currently unknown, police said. Ohio County Coroner's Office pronounced Carver dead at the scene of the crash.
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