MAHONING COUNTY — A state trooper is dead, and another person was seriously hurt after a crash in Mahoning County early Thursday.
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Around 11:52 a.m., Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper Nicholas Cayton responded to SR-11 after reports of a semi stopped in the right lane.
While on scene, Cayton was sitting in his marked cruiser with his emergency overhead lights activated when a Mack Granite driven by Ryan Rach, 35, crashed into the back of his cruiser.
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The cruiser went into the back of the semi, also hitting the semi driver, who was standing outside of his vehicle.
Cayton was pronounced dead on the scene, and the semi driver was flown to a local hospital.
Rach was not hurt.
“In service and sacrifice, Trooper Cayton honored the badge and fulfilled his sacred oath to the community. My deepest condolences are with the family, friends, and colleagues of this fallen hero,” Attorney General Dave Yost said in a statement.
Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered all flags to be flown at half staff in Mahoning County, the Ohio Statehouse, the Vern Riffe Center, and the Rhodes State Office tower until the sunset of Cayton’s funeral.
Troopers did not say if Rach is facing charges.
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