The Brown County, Ohio, community is mourning the death of James D. Daugherty, 46, of Cincinnati, who was killed Tuesday night after being struck while riding an electric bicycle along State Route 32 in Sterling Township.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the fatal collision occurred at approximately 10:36 p.m. Tuesday, August 11, 2026, near Eastwood Road.
Investigators said Daugherty was traveling westbound in the right lane of State Route 32 when a vehicle traveling in the same direction struck him from behind. The driver of the vehicle then reportedly fled the scene, turning the deadly collision into a hit-and-run investigation.
Emergency crews responded to the roadway, where Daugherty was pronounced dead. The Brown County Coroner’s Office also responded as investigators began examining the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Authorities said Daugherty was riding a Jansno electric bicycle when he was struck. Investigators are now working to identify the vehicle and driver responsible for the collision.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol believes the vehicle involved may have been a white 2020–2025 Nissan Versa. Troopers are asking anyone who saw a vehicle matching that description in the area around the time of the crash to come forward.
The Georgetown Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is leading the investigation. Witnesses or anyone with information about the collision are asked to contact the post at 937-378-6193 or 937-378-6191.
Investigators are continuing to reconstruct the events leading up to the crash. Evidence from the roadway and bicycle, along with possible surveillance footage and witness accounts, could help authorities determine exactly what happened and identify the vehicle that left the scene.
For Daugherty’s family and friends, the sudden loss has been made even more painful by the circumstances surrounding his death. A routine night on the road ended with a fatal collision, leaving loved ones grieving while investigators continue searching for answers.
Hit-and-run investigations can be particularly challenging because authorities must identify a vehicle and driver who may have left the area before officers arrived. Investigators may rely on physical evidence, damage patterns, surveillance footage and information from members of the public to piece together the incident.
As the investigation continues, authorities are urging anyone with potentially useful information not to assume that a small detail is unimportant. Even a vehicle sighting or piece of information from the area around the time of the crash could assist investigators.
James D. Daugherty’s death has left his family and friends facing a devastating loss, while the Brown County community waits for answers and authorities continue working to determine who was responsible for the fatal hit-and-run.
