A teenage motorist was cited after his reckless driving reportedly caused a crash Friday, April 11, near Love’s Travel Stop along State Route 540, officers from the Bellefontaine Police Department report.
Lucas Bopp, 18, of Kenton, was charged with failure to control, reckless operation and a seat belt violation following the crash, which occurred around 3:03 p.m. near the entrance to the travel center, 2001 State Route 540.
Upon arrival, officers found Bopp’s vehicle upside down and heavily damaged, with a broken curb nearby. Bopp was not injured.
He told officers he had been driving westbound in the right turn lane to enter Love’s when he looked into his rearview mirror and then realized the vehicle in front of him was slowing down. He said he swerved to avoid a collision, slammed on his brakes and lost control.
His vehicle struck the curb and flipped at least once before coming to rest. Bopp said he was driving approximately 45 mph at the time.
Three witnesses told officers Bopp was driving fast when he entered the turn lane and swerved back into traffic, resulting in the crash. Officers estimated that Bopp’s vehicle was traveling at around 60 to 65 mph based on skid marks starting from the yellow divider line. Surveillance video from Love’s confirmed the vehicle appeared to be speeding before striking the curb and flipping into the grass.
Officers also determined Bopp was not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, based on the locked and unused driver-side seatbelt observed after the vehicle was overturned and inspected.
The vehicle from the scene. Bopp was initially cited for failure to control and later issued additional citations for reckless operation and not wearing a seat belt.