Former Ohio State Lineman Indicted in Dublin Crash That Killed 24-Year-Old

Posted on 7/31/2025

Defendant: Kirk D. Barton

A Franklin County grand jury has indicted a Lewis Center man in an early morning crash in Dublin that killed a 24-year-old.

Kirk D. Barton, 40, was indicted late yesterday on counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of operating a motor vehicle while impaired.

Barton’s next hearing, a formal arraignment on the charges, is scheduled for Aug. 13.

Case Background

Just before 3 a.m. on June 21, 2025, Dublin Police were called to the intersection of West Bridge Street (U.S. 33) and North High Street on the report of a crash. 

There, they found Ethan Perry, 24, of Columbus, dead from injuries sustained in a wreck between his 2012 Lexus IS 250 and a 2025 Ford F-150 Raptor driven by Barton.

Officers determined that Barton was driving the wrong way on U.S. 33 before he corrected his direction, turning around and traveling eastbound toward Historic Dublin. Just west of Franklin Street, Barton struck Perry’s vehicle, his pickup coming to rest about 900 feet away from the site of the crash.

Dublin Police officers reported that Barton, who sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the crash, had glassy, bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. He was unable to answer basic questions about the evening and later admitted to consuming alcoholic beverages, police said.

Barton, a former offensive lineman for the Ohio State University Buckeyes from 2003-2007, first appeared in court on June 23 on a charge of aggravated vehicular homicide and was released on $500,000 bond.