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, was killed in a hit-and-run collision on State Route 79 in Licking County, Ohio, on April 15, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The northbound Chevrolet Silverado failed to maintain a clear distance and rear-ended an International Harvester 2250 Loader tractor. The pickup truck then veered off the right side of the road and struck a curb before the driver fled the scene on foot.
Kissel was transported to Licking Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Troopers described the suspected driver as a 52-year-old man from Des Moines, Iowa, who 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.
"It's incredibly frightening to realize your car has a black box that records your every move before a crash," 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 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.