JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Jackson Township Police Chief Mark Brink urges drivers to think twice before getting behind the wheel after drinking.
This comes after a fatal accident happened Sunday night in Jackson Township, leaving a father dead.
Police say a 27-year-old man traveled over the center line and struck a vehicle occupied by 53-year-old John Pappas and his wife between Northwest Strausser Street and Arlington Avenue around 11 p.m. on Sunday.
Pappas's wife and the 27-year-old driver survived, but John Pappas did not.
Police said drugs and/or alcohol are believed to be a factor, but did not say who was believed to have been under the influence, saying that the matter was still under investigation. News 5 has requested the incident report and additional details from police.
“I think a lot of people make a decision to get behind a wheel thinking it’s never going to happen to them and the sad part of it is, it can happen to you one time and have this kind of an accident and you’re looking at what could be years in prison,” said Jackson Township Police Chief Mark Brink.
At this time, Brink says there are several more steps they need to do before the investigation is complete.
He said he understands people aren’t happy the department has yet to make an arrest, but he reassures them they are handling the case and asks for the community’s patience in the next four to six weeks.
Meanwhile, Pappas’s daughter, who is a video creator on YouTube, posted about her father’s death and has raised more than $80,000 on GoFundMe.
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