Ohio University student victim of fatal car crash

“His loved ones are in our thoughts as they grieve this tragedy,” Leatherwood said. “The Dean of Students has been in contact with his family, and the university is providing support to students and employees affected by this loss.”

Bailey graduated from Pickerington Central High School in 2018 and was majoring in business finance at OU, according to his obituary.

Bailey died Sept 1 when his car erupted into flames in an early morning car crash. According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol report, alcohol was a factor in the crash.

According to the OSHP investigation report, Bailey and some friends had been at The Pub, a bar on Court Street in Athens, earlier that evening. The group went to get food and returned home. Bailey's friends took his keys because he was “very intoxicated” and they feared he would attempt to drive.

His friend kept the keys in his room and went to sleep — but was awoken to the sound of screeching tires, the report stated. The friend tried to call Bailey, and Bailey hung up after telling him to mind his own business.

Bailey was driving northeast on County Road 24 when he ran the stop sign near Pallini Industries. The vehicle passed through the intersection with Stimson Avenue, struck a sign post and collided with a piece of construction equipment. The car and the construction vehicle, a 2016 Volvo wheel loader belonging to Trucco Construction, were enveloped in flames, the report said.

Bailey’s friends had gone to search for him after the hang-up. They were driving down Mill Street when they heard sirens; they followed an emergency vehicle to the crash site on Stimson Avenue, where they recognized the vehicle and “knew it was Bailey,” according to the report.

A driver on U.S. Route 33 saw the fire from the highway and called 911 to alert officials, the report stated. He then exited the highway to see what was happening, but found the fire too intense to do anything.

Bailey's vehicle, a 2015 Volkswagen Golf, had extensive damage from its collision with a sign post and the wheel loader as well as from the fire. The wheel loader sustained fire damage to the rear engine compartment, the entire cab (which had "only metal components remaining"), and the rear tires, which melted, according to the report. Two shipping containers holding construction equipment also were damaged by the fire.

The Richland Area Volunteer Fire Department, Athens County Sheriff's Office and Athens City Fire Department responded to the scene in addition to OSHP.