Allen Kissel Killed in Licking County Hit-and-Run Accident
The 77-year-old Newark man was driving a tractor when he was rear-ended by a Chevrolet Silverado driver who fled the scene
Allen Kissel, 77, of Newark, died in a hit-and-run crash on State Route 79 in Licking County, Ohio, on April 15, the State Highway Patrol said.
A northbound Chevrolet Silverado rear-ended an International Harvester 2250 Loader tractor, troopers said. The pickup then swerved off the right side of the road and hit a curb.
The driver of the Silverado fled the scene on foot, according to the patrol.
Kissel was taken to Licking Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Troopers identified the suspected driver as a 52-year-old man from Des Moines, Iowa. He remains at large.
Why did the Silverado driver flee the scene on State Route 79?
As troopers search for the suspect, investigators will examine the abandoned Chevrolet Silverado for physical evidence, including fingerprints, DNA, and event data recorder information. Hit-and-run investigations often rely heavily on the digital footprint left behind by modern vehicles.
"Having the proper resources is extremely important in order to investigate a hit-and-run accident case and prove negligence," said Candice Bond, Managing Partner at Bond Legal. "This device saves five seconds of data on your speed and braking, so there's an objective record of what happened."
What are the dynamics of a tractor rear-end collision?
The sudden loss of a community member like Kissel highlights the extreme dangers of rear-end collisions involving heavy agricultural equipment and passenger vehicles traveling at highway speeds.
"It's heartbreaking to see how a single second of impact changes a community forever," said Stefano Formica, of Counsel at Bond Legal. "Data suggests that the speed differential between two vehicles is the strongest predictor of how survivable a crash actually is."
According to the Ohio Department of Public Safety, the state recorded 1,145 traffic deaths in 2023. Hit-and-run incidents and collisions involving farm equipment remain a persistent challenge for local law enforcement agencies across rural Ohio corridors.
Ohio wrongful death statute
Under Ohio Rev. Code § 2125.01, surviving family members may file a wrongful death action. Ohio applies modified comparative fault (51% bar). The statute of limitations is 2 years.
Recoverable damages may include loss of financial support, loss of services and companionship, funeral expenses, and the estate's losses.