MERCER CO., Ohio (ADAMS) – The Mercer County Sheriff’s office says that it is investigating after a missing teen was found thrown from a UTV in a cornfield Saturday night.
The teen was reported missing around 7:30 p.m. 17-year-old Jacob Dahlinghaus had reportedly left a family gathering on Indian Trail Road on a 2011 Polaris Ranger 4×4.
While responding to the missing person call, police got another call about a crash involving a UTV near the intersection of Huwer and Homan roads. When police arrived at the scene, the injured driver was identified as the missing teen.
Police said Jacob was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. The crash is still under investigation by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office. The teen’s current condition was not released.
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office released the following:
Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey reports that on October 22nd, 2022 at 7:24 PM, Central Dispatch received a call in reference to a missing juvenile. It was reported that the juvenile had left a family gathering on Indian Trail Road, Marion Township, on a Ranger UTV and had not returned. As deputies were responding to take the initial report, an injury accident involving an ATV was reported at 7:42 PM, near the intersection of Huwer Rd and Homan Rd. Deputies responded and the injured juvenile was identified by family as the missing teen.
The preliminary investigation shows that for an unknown reason, the 2011 Polaris Ranger 4×4 entered a corn field on the south side of Huwer Rd, west of Clune-Stucke Rd. Deputies suspect that the sole occupant, Jacob M Dahlinghaus (17) of Tipp City, OH, was ejected from the UTV in the cornfield. The UTV was located in the cornfield, west of the juvenile.
Careflight was called to the scene and transported Dahlinghaus to Miami Valley Hospital for treatment. Assisting at the scene were members of the Osgood Squad and Osgood Fire Department.
This incident remains under investigation by the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.