On October 1, 2024, the Chardon Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol investigated a 2-vehicle crash that resulted in the fatal injury of a motorcycle rider. The two vehicles approached a rural intersection in Auburn Township, Ohio. One was a black Cadillac Escalade traveling west on Taylor May Road. The other was a Harley-Davidson Road King heading north on Munn Road.
Taylor May Road is controlled by stop signs for eastbound and westbound traffic, accompanied by warning signs reading, “Cross Traffic Does Not Stop. ” Munn Road, meanwhile, carries a 55-mile-per-hour statutory speed limit and includes a recommended advisory speed of 35 mph near the intersection because of a blind hill crest. Investigators documented long braking skid marks from the motorcycle extending toward the intersection before curving into the collision path. Gouge marks in the pavement, tire scuffs, scattered debris, and vehicle damage all helped establish where impact occurred and how each vehicle moved before coming to rest.
The analysis concluded that the motorcycle was traveling approximately 39 mph when skidding commenced, with no evidence indicating it was traveling at an unsafe speed before braking. Through various reconstructions assessing varying speeds, ER created multiple points of view on the commencement of the scenario. In response to the death of motorcyclist Lawrence Santarelli, Gary Pellegrino was charged on counts of Vehicular Manslaughter, Vehicular Homicide, Failure to Yield from a Stop Sign, and a Seat Belt Violation.
