PORTSMOUTH, Ohio — A devastating crash early Saturday morning claimed the life of a young Wellston police officer, leaving a community in mourning.

Authorities confirmed that 25-year-old Matthew Juniper, of Wellston, died after the golf cart he was riding in was struck by another vehicle on South Pennsylvania Avenue near Sixth Street.

According to reports, the registered golf cart was traveling along the roadway when it was hit from behind by a 2014 Hyundai operated by an unnamed juvenile. The collision caused the golf cart to veer off the road and crash into a tree, while the Hyundai came to a stop in the roadway.

Emergency responders transported Juniper to a nearby hospital, but he later succumbed to his injuries.

The golf cart’s driver, identified as 40-year-old Brant Derrow of Wellston, suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in West Virginia for treatment. The juvenile driver of the Hyundai was also taken to a local hospital but reportedly sustained only minor injuries.

Juniper, remembered by colleagues as a dedicated officer and respected member of the Wellston Police Department, had been off duty at the time of the crash. His sudden passing has left fellow officers, friends, and family devastated.

The crash remains under investigation as authorities work to determine what led to the collision.