29-year-old motorcyclist Ryan Dalton killed after rear-ending SUV in West Union

A 29-year-old West Union man, identified as Ryan D. Dalton, died after his motorcycle struck the rear of a stopped Volkswagen Atlas on Sunrise Avenue near Cosby Street. Troopers with the Ohio State Highway Patrol determined Dalton sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash occurred Feb. 14, 2026, in the afternoon; WLWT and Fox19 reported the collision happened at about 3:16 p.m. OSHP’s preliminary investigation into the sequence of events is being handled by the Georgetown Post, and officials have not released a cause such as speed, impairment, or mechanical defect.

WLWT identified Dalton as the operator of a 2024 Yamaha R7 traveling eastbound on Sunrise Avenue when the motorcycle struck the back of the Volkswagen Atlas. WCPO and other reports confirmed the motorcycle model as a Yamaha R7 and noted that Dalton was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

No injuries were reported among the occupants of the Volkswagen Atlas. WLWT listed responding and assisting agencies at the scene as the West Union Police Department, the Adams County Sheriff’s Office, West Union Fire and EMS, and the Ohio Department of Transportation alongside OSHP personnel from the Georgetown Post.

OSHP troopers are continuing the preliminary investigation to determine the events leading up to the collision. Local authorities have not released the name of the Volkswagen driver, said whether charges will be filed, or provided details such as skid-mark measurements, witness statements, or toxicology results.

The crash closed a stretch of Sunrise Avenue near Cosby Street during the response; officials have not announced when a formal OSHP crash report will be available. Further information is expected from the Georgetown Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol as the investigation proceeds.