It was supposed to be just another pleasant Wednesday afternoon for Katherine L. Penn. The 64-year-old Pickerington resident hopped on her motorcycle and set out for a ride through the quiet backroads of central Ohio.
She was cruising down Rush Creek Road, enjoying the open air just east of Columbus. The sun was up, the road was open, and everything seemed like a smooth summer afternoon ride.
Shortly after 12:30 p.m., everything changed in a fraction of a second. Penn was riding southbound on her Honda VTX1300C near Township Road 2 when she approached a sudden bend in the road.
For reasons investigators are still trying to figure out, Penn couldn’t quite negotiate the curve. Her motorcycle drifted off the right side of the asphalt and into the grassy shoulder.
The bike struck a wooden fence along the edge of the property and violently flipped over. The sudden impact threw Penn clear off the motorcycle and onto the roadside.
Passing motorists and locals quickly realized something awful had happened and dialed emergency services. First responders from Reading Township Fire and EMS rushed to the scene as fast as they could.
Despite the rapid response, the injuries were just too severe. Medical personnel worked quickly, but Penn was pronounced dead right there at the crash site.
Her motorcycle was later hauled away by A-One Towing while state troopers documented the scene. Friends and family in Pickerington now mourn the loss of a life taken far too soon on a peaceful country road.
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