A vehicular manslaughter charge has been filed in connection with the Liberty Avenue crash that later claimed the life of a 20-year-old moped rider in Vermilion, according to court records.
Mackenzie J. Price, 19, of Lorain, was charged on October 29, 2025, with one count of vehicular manslaughter, a second-degree misdemeanor under Ohio law. The charge stems from an October 14, 2025, traffic crash investigated by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The collision occurred on Liberty Avenue, where a moped rider was struck by a vehicle. The victim, later identified as Merik Bendig, initially survived the crash but died from his injuries later that evening. At the time of the incident, investigators said a charging decision had not yet been made as the case remained under review.
Court records show the charge was filed approximately two weeks after the crash, following further investigation and medical determinations. No public announcement was issued at the time of the filing.
Records do not indicate that Price was taken into custody in connection with the charge. The case appears to have been initiated through the court process rather than by arrest.
Vehicular manslaughter charges are typically filed after investigators complete crash reconstruction and review all relevant evidence, particularly in cases where a victim’s death occurs after the initial incident.
Price is scheduled to appear for a pretrial hearing at the Vermilion Municipal Court on January 27, 2026, at 3 p.m. The case remains pending.
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