Holmes County crash on SR 241 kills one, sheriff says

A pre-dawn passing maneuver on State Route 241 in Salt Creek Township turned deadly when a 2000 Ford Excursion went northbound, passed a tour bus in a marked no-passing zone at a hillcrest and lost control. One person died in the two-vehicle crash near County Road 235.

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office identified the driver as Ronald E. Pappa, 44, of Killbuck. Deputies were called to the scene around 4:44 a.m. on April 22, 2026, along a stretch of SR 241 that serves commuters, farm traffic and residents moving between Holmes County communities.

The crash involved a second vehicle traveling in the opposite direction, after Pappa’s SUV lost control and struck a truck, according to the later account. The collision happened on a rural road where early-morning darkness, changing grades and limited visibility can make a no-passing zone especially critical. The sheriff’s office said the crash remains under review.

For Holmes County, the fatal wreck adds another serious incident to the daily traffic picture on roads that connect small villages, townships and county jobs. SR 241 is one of those routes where drivers routinely encounter hills, curves and mixed traffic, including large vehicles such as tour buses and trucks. This crash also underscores how quickly a split-second decision in a marked no-passing zone can turn into a fatal head-on collision.

Crash reports on public roadways are collected by the Ohio Department of Public Safety for statistical purposes, and the agency says reports may take up to six weeks to appear online. It also says the investigating agency is the official record keeper for the crash report and diagram, making the sheriff’s office the first official source for details as the case moves forward.