US-33 crash leaves Pickaway County man dead

LANCASTER, Ohio (WCMH) -- A Pickaway County man is dead after a two-vehicle crash along U.S. Route 33 Sunday afternoon.

According to the Lancaster Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash happened on US-33 in Berne Township, Fairfield County, at approximately 1 p.m.

According to police, Austin T. Mathias, 23, of Ashville, was driving a 1999 Ford Ranger east on US-33. A 21-year-old Logan man was driving a 2002 Mazda truck, also eastbound on US-33. Police said the Logan man failed to maintain a proper distance, rear-ending Mathias' vehicle and sending it off the right side of the road, where it hit a traffic sign and overturned.

Mathias was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was treated and released from a Fairfield hospital.

The crash remains under investigation; as of this writing, no charges have been filed.

In addition to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Fairfield County Sheriff's office, Berne Township Fire and EMS, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and the Fairfield County coroner all responded to the scene.