In Green Township’s chill of Monday evening, 36-year-old Jason Brock of Hillsboro lost his life in a violent single-vehicle crash that has left friends and family reeling. The Ohio State Highway Patrol confirmed the wreck occurred just after 7 p.m. on State Route 73 when Brock’s pickup truck veered off the road.
According to troopers, a 2007 Dodge Ram was heading southeast when it suddenly left the left side of the roadway and dropped into a deep roadside ditch. The truck somersaulted multiple times before coming to rest, and Brock was violently thrown from the vehicle.
Responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Law enforcement officials noted that Brock was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the wreck, a factor that likely contributed to the force with which he was ejected.
Riding along with Brock was a 21-year-old passenger, identified by authorities as Hunter Evans, also of Hillsboro. Emergency workers treated him on site for minor injuries, and he was later released, officials said.
Neighbors and loved ones described Brock as a vibrant part of the local community, someone who was good with a smile and always ready to lend a hand. In the hours after the crash, flowers and notes began appearing near the crash site and in front yards across Hillsboro, a grassroots memorial in honour of a life cut unexpectedly short.
Troopers from the Wilmington Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol continue to investigate what led the Dodge Ram off the pavement that night. There was no immediate word on whether weather or road conditions played a role, though winter temperatures were frigid throughout the region.
For the community in and around Clinton County, the loss is a quiet shock — a reminder that a routine drive can turn tragic in the blink of an eye. Family members have asked for privacy as they grieve and remember a beloved son and friend.
As the investigation proceeds, residents are talking about safety, seatbelts, and the importance of looking out for one another on long, lonely stretches of road. The Ohio State Highway Patrol urges all drivers and passengers to buckle up — a simple step that, in this case, might have made all the difference.
