His preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 30 in Butler County Area III Court, according to records.
Investigators said they believe Howard was driving impaired at the time of the crash, around 3:40 a.m., on southbound I-75 in West Chester Twp. Lt. Clint Arnold said alcohol was a factor in the crash and other impairments are being tested. Howard also was charged with OVI, according to court documents.
Motorcyclist Timothy Sharp, 51, was pronounced dead at the scene. He died from multiple traumatic injuries and his death was ruled an accident, according to the Butler County Coroner’s Office. He was not wearing a helmet, Arnold said.
A 2008 Toyota Acura, driven by Howard, and a 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycle, ridden by Sharp, were traveling southbound on I-75, the post said. Preliminary investigation shows the car rear-ended the motorcycle. Howard was not injured as a result of the crash.
The patrol said Howard’s vehicle was traveling “much faster” than the motorcycle at the time of the crash, though Arnold didn’t release the estimated speeds.
The highway patrol listed Sharp’s home address in Middletown, while the coroner’s office said he lived in Hamersville, Ohio, according to a press release.
The crash slowed the southbound lanes of I-75 for much of the morning, according to the state patrol. Hours after the crash, the far left lane re-opened, but the traffic back-up lasted for miles, the patrol said. Traffic traveling north was also backed up at the Union Centre Boulevard exit with emergency vehicles staged at that location.
It was at least the fifth fatal motorcycle crash in Butler County this year, according to OSHP. There were three fatals in the county in 2017 and five in 2016, according to the patrol.
There were 157 fatal motorcycle crashes in Ohio last year, according to the state patrol. Of those, 45 drivers, or 29 percent, were wearing a helmet.
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