McCONNELSVILLE – The Marietta Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol is investigating two fatalities in traffic accidents on Saturday in Morgan County, one involving a resident from Malta.

Richard M. Brooks, 48, Malta, was killed on Saturday when the 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide motorcycle he was operating on State Route 266 in Windsor Township went off the right side of the road and laid over on its side, the patrol said. Brooks, pronounced dead at the scene, and a passenger, April L. Santek, 41, also of Malta, were separated from the motorcycle, the patrol said.

Santek was flown by medical helicopter to Grant Medical Center in Columbus with life- threatening injuries, the patrol said.

The accident happened around 8:30 p.m., the patrol said. Drugs are suspected of being a factor in the crash, the patrol said.

Responding agencies included: Ohio State Highway Patrol, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio Department of Transportation, MedFlight-Morgan County, Stockport Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, Morgan County Coroner’s Office, M&M Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, Beverly/Waterford EMS, Miller-Huck Funeral Home, Secure Towing and Pinetree Towing.

The crash remains under investigation, the patrol said.

Roger Cage, 56, Chesterhill, Ohio, was killed when he was ejected from a truck on State Route 555 in Homer Township where his 1992 GMC C7 went off the right side of the road and overturned on Saturday, the patrol said. The accident happened around 2 p.m.

Gage was dead at the scene, the patrol said. Alcohol is suspected of being a factor in the crash, the patrol said.

Responding agencies included the Highway Patrol, Ohio State Motor Carrier Enforcement Unit, Ohio Department of Transportation, Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, Chesterhill Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, Morgan County Coroner’s Office, M&M Volunteer Fire Department and EMS, Brock’s Towing and Pinetree Towing.

The accident remains under investigation, the patrol said.