DUBLIN, Ohio — A former Ohio State football player has learned his punishment for causing a crash that killed a 24-year-old man.
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Kirk Barton was sentenced to at least five years in prison after changing his plea for a crash last year that killed Ethan Perry, 24, according to our media partner WBNS-10 TV.
He pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide. An additional count of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of OVI were dismissed.
The judge also ordered that Barton’s license be permanently suspended, WBNS-10 reported.
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As previously reported, Barton was driving a pickup truck the wrong way on U.S. Route 33 before turning around and continuing at excessive speeds on US-33/West Bridge Street in Dublin.
Barton collided with a Lexus driven by Ethan Perry at the intersection of Franklin and West Bridge streets on June 21, 2025.
In court, the prosecutor’s office said Barton was driving 126 mph five seconds before crashing and 114 mph at the time of impact.
Perry died on scene, and Barton sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
Barton admitted to drinking alcohol before the crash and had a BAC of 0.242%, WBNS-10 reported.
Barton played for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2003 to 2007 and was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft.
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