A 28-year-old Michigan man was killed Wednesday morning after his car was struck twice in a three-vehicle crash at a Fulton County intersection in Ohio. The victim, identified as Kurt Xavier Burgard, died at the scene after the collision, which also left two other drivers injured. The crash happened shortly before 7 a.m. at the intersection of U.S. Route 20 and County Road 23 in Gorham Township.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Burgard was driving north on County Road 23 when his car failed to stop at a stop sign before entering U.S. Route 20. As his vehicle entered the intersection, it was struck by an eastbound pickup truck traveling along the highway. The pickup was driven by a 64-year-old man from Fayette, Ohio.
The impact sent the pickup truck off the road and into a nearby field, where it overturned. But that was not the end of the collision. Burgard’s car was pushed into the westbound lanes of U.S. Route 20, directly into the path of an approaching van.
The van, driven by a 47-year-old woman from Lyons, Ohio, struck Burgard’s vehicle. Following the second impact, his car left the roadway and came to rest in a field. What began as a collision between two vehicles had turned into a serious three-vehicle crash involving multiple impacts.
Burgard suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. The pickup truck driver sustained serious injuries and was taken to a hospital in Toledo for treatment. The van driver suffered minor injuries but was not transported to a hospital, according to the information released.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol is continuing to investigate the crash. Troopers have described how the vehicles moved before and after the collisions, with the failure to stop at the posted sign identified in their preliminary account as the event that led to the first impact. No additional contributing factors have been established in the information provided.
Following the deadly collision, the highway patrol reminded motorists to obey traffic signs, come to a complete stop where required, and check for approaching vehicles before entering an intersection. Drivers approaching busy highways from smaller roads must pay particular attention to posted signs and cross traffic.
For Burgard’s family and friends, Wednesday’s crash has brought a devastating loss. He was just 28 years old, and his death leaves loved ones with questions and memories of someone whose life ended far too soon. The two injured drivers also face the aftermath of a crash that unfolded in seconds and involved three vehicles. As the investigation continues, Burgard’s loved ones are left to mourn his death.