A Circleville man died in a single-vehicle high-speed crash in eastern Fayette County Saturday.
The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office reported the crash 11:11pm in the 7000 block of US Route 22SE. A 2007 Mercedes driven by 41-year-old Shannon Brown of Circleville was westbound on the highway, when he failed to negotiate a curve and lost control.
It traveled off the right side of the roadway, striking a utility pole, and rolled multiple times before catching fire in the driveway area of the Buckeye Propane Bulk Plant.
Brown was unrestrained and was ejected. He was transported to the Fayette County Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival by the Fayette County Coroner’s Office. Alcohol use is suspected as a factor.
An officer with the New Holland Police Department reported that he had observed the vehicle traveling in excess of the posted speed limit within the Village of New Holland, and that he activated his emergency lights but he lost sight of the vehicle.
U.S. Route 22 between Clemens Road and White Road remained closed for several hours as a result of the damaged utility pole that caused high-voltage power lines to hang at a low level across the roadway.