Enon man charged with vehicular manslaughter in fatal motorcycle crash

A man has been charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection to a May crash that killed a New Carlisle resident.

Nathan Burkholder, 20, of Enon, was charged Wednesday in Clark County Municipal Court. Burkholder was driving a 1998 Ford F-150 on Ohio 235 near Scarff Road when he allegedly turned left in front of an oncoming motorcycle, according to investigators.

The driver of the motorcycle, Nicholas Martin, 36, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Burkholder pleaded not guilty to the charge and is due back in court in January.

RELATED: Fatality identified in New Carlisle motorcycle crash

Ohio State Trooper David Dingeman wrote in an affidavit that Burkholder told him he didn’t see the motorcycle before making the turn.

“Mr. Burkholder explained that he knew where he intended to turn, applied his left turn signal and made a gradual left turn at less than 10 miles per hour,” Dingeman wrote. “He stated he was not distracted by anything and indicated that he did not see the headlight of the motorcycle.”

Burkholder wasn’t under the influence of any substances at the time, the affidavit says.

Dingeman said evidence at the crash scene indicated Martin tried to avoid the crash.

“The investigation revealed that the driver of the motorcycle, Mr. Martin, applied his brakes and laid down his motorcycle on the roadway attempting to avoid colliding with the pickup truck that turned in front of him,” Dingeman wrote.

A police report states Burkholder had his mother and sister in his vehicle at the time of the crash.

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