All victims now identified in three separate, fatal Saturday crashes in central Ohio

The identities of all three people killed in three separate central Ohio traffic crashes Saturday have now been released, including one crash involving a hit-and-run.

The first crash was reported at 7:05 a.m. on Columbus' South Side, where Columbus police say motorcyclist David L. Creighton, 65, was traveling northbound on Alum Creek Drive when a southbound Ford E-250 pickup truck driven by Terry Hess, 61, turned left toward Alum Industrial Drive and crashed into Creighton's motorcycle.

Creighton died at the crash scene, police said. An investigation into the crash remains open, according to the Columbus police Accident Investigation Unit.

Court records indicate Hess, who lives on Columbus' South Side, has had prior traffic violations and twice failed to appear in court for them. Columbus police charged him last September for an incident at West Mound Street and South Yale with driving under a suspended license, having no operators license and tag violations. He pleaded not guilty and a bench warrant had been issued for him in January. He appeared in March and bond added to his case, records show.

Meanwhile, a bench warrant and bond forfeiture notice were issued for him in March when he failed to appear in Whitehall Mayor's Court on charges of illegaly driving under a license forfeiture or child support violation, hit-skip on a public street, a turn/stop signal violation and having expired or unlawful license plates for an old traffic incident at East Broad Street and South Hamilton Road. He eventually appeared and entered a not guilty plea on March 30. He posted cash bond, records show.

A trial was scheduled for May 11, he did not appear and a bench warrant was issued for Hess' arrest. He again later appeared on May 23 and an arrest bond was added to the case. Hess was scheduled to appear for trial again on June 21, less than two weeks before the fatal crash Saturday, but it was again postponed due to unavailability of defendant and a bench warrant issued, court records state.

At the request of Columbus police and with the agreement of the Franklin County Prosecutor's Office and Franklin County Municipal Court, a person service summons for Hess was executed on Saturday following the crash, court records indicate.

Additional charges are likely as a result of the fatal crash.

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Another fatal crash from a turn at an intersection

Just before 2 p.m. about a quarter-mile west of Big Run Parkon Columbus' West Side, police said the driver of a Nissan Versa was attempting to make a left hand turn onto Hall Road from northbound Georgesville Road when her vehicle was struck by a Ford F-150 pickup truck. Police said the pickup was southbound on Georgesville Road and had run a red light.

The impact to the front passenger side of the Nissan caused it to spin 180 degrees. The Ford pickup veered to the southwest and struck a 2012 Honda Civic stopped at a red light on Hall Road, police said.

A man and woman in the pickup jumped out of the vehicle after the crash and were picked up by a Chrysler vehicle, which then fled the scene, police said.

Ruth Ellis, 87, was driving the Nissan and Pamela Ellis, 64, was sitting in the passenger seat. Both were taken to Ohio Health Grant Medical Center, where Pamela Ellis later died, police said.

Man killed in Madison County when pickup crashes

Finally, in Madison County, the West Jefferson Post of the State Highway Patrol is investigating a single vehicle crash that occurred at 11:30 a.m. along Kiousville Georgesville Road just south of Big Plain Circleville Road.

Accidents: Reynoldsburg motorcyclist dies after crash with car on Columbus' North Side.

Troopers say that a Ford F-150, driven by Michael Gangluff, 45, of London, lost control along Kiousville Georgesville Road, drove off the side of the road and flipped over.

Gangluff was taken to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center where he later died.

The patrol was assisted at the scene by Jefferson Township Fire & EMS, and Madison County Sheriff's Office.

Dispatch reporter Jack Nimesheim contributed to this story.

dnarciso@dispatch.com

@DeanNarciso

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Grim start to holiday weekend with three fatal crashes in central Ohio