Killbuck man dies after passing bus in no-passing zone crash

Ronald E. Pappa, 44, of Killbuck, died after a predawn crash on State Route 241 in Salt Creek Township when, investigators said, he attempted to pass a tour bus in a marked no-passing zone on a hill and lost control as he moved back into his lane.

The crash happened at about 4:44 a.m. April 22, south of County Road 235 in Holmes County. According to investigators, Pappa was driving a 2000 Ford Excursion northbound when he passed the bus, crossed left of center and was struck by a southbound 2007 Ram pickup truck driven by Kevin A. Nussbaum, 30, of Apple Creek.

Nussbaum was wearing a seatbelt and was not injured. Pappa was also wearing a seatbelt. East Holmes EMS took him to Pomerene Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

The roadway was closed for about two hours while deputies investigated the wreck. East Holmes Fire and EMS and the Stark County Coroner’s Office assisted at the scene.

The Holmes County Sheriff’s Office said the crash remains under investigation. The case also underscores why certain stretches of roadway are posted with no-passing markings in the first place. Ohio traffic-control guidance says those zones are used where sight distance is inadequate or other special conditions make passing unsafe, such as curves, hills and other limited-visibility areas.

That makes the location on State Route 241 especially important for drivers who travel the corridor between Killbuck and the rural roads south of County Road 235. On roads like this, a passing move that seems brief can leave little room for error once a vehicle crests a hill or returns to its lane too quickly.

State crash records are collected by the Ohio Department of Public Safety, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol’s crash dashboard lets users compare crashes by road, time of day and severity. For Holmes County residents, the fatal wreck is a sharp reminder that the yellow lines on a hill are there for a reason.