Off-duty officer, friend killed on motorcycles

An off-duty Pittsburgh police officer and his friend who were motorcycling home were killed on Thursday afternoon along Interstate 70 near Cambridge, Ohio, when an oncoming car crossed the grassy median and flew into their lane of traffic, an Ohio highway patrol officer said.

Nicholas Uva, 38, a patrolman who worked out of the Zone 2 station in the Hill District, was pronounced dead on arrival shortly after 2 p.m. at the Southeastern Ohio Medical Center in Cambridge, Sgt. Chuck Merryman said.

Uva's friend, George Edward Horner, 48, of Lancaster in central Pennsylvania, died at the scene. Horner, who was riding a second motorcycle, was a retired police officer, but Merryman did not know where he had been employed.

The driver of the car, Ibrahima Kane, 29, of Columbus, Ohio, was released following treatment at the medical center, Merryman said.

It was not known last night where Uva and Horner had been. The accident occurred about 2 miles west of Cambridge in an area where the posted speed limit is 65 mph.

Merryman said Kane was traveling westbound when his car went out of control for some unknown reason. There was no immediate indication that he had been drinking or using drugs, Merryman said.

Kane's car struck a tractor-trailer before careening out of control and becoming airborne as it crossed the grass median, Merryman said.

The car then struck Horner's motorcycle, which was found lodged underneath the wreckage. Uva apparently put his bike down onto the pavement when he saw the oncoming car, Merryman said. It was not clear if he was struck by the car or if he was fatally injured when the bike hit the pavement, Merryman said.

Neither Uva nor Horner were wearing helmets, Merryman said. Motorcyclists are not required to do so in Ohio, he said.

Funeral arrangements for Uva were incomplete last night.