Former Ohio State football player Kirk Barton was involved in a deadly crash early Saturday morning. The former All-American was arrested on aggravated vehicular homicide charges after a crash killed 24-year-old Ethan Perry, after Barton was deemed to be under the influence of alcohol.
Barton has an extremely complicated relationship with the Ohio State Buckeyes. While he was a fantastic player, he tried to use his celebrity as a former player to get access and grow the platform BuckeyeScoop, which routinely puts out incorrect information.
Eventually, Barton and some other members of that platform had their credentials pulled from the university after it was found that he was allegedly stealing practice film from the Buckeyes. This is also his third alcohol-related driving offense in Franklin County alone.
Former Ohio State football player Kirk Barton needs some help from the Ohio State community
While Barton has a very polarizing reputation among Buckeye fans, it's very clear that he needs some help. The Ohio State community needs to rally and try to get him some help before he further destroys his life. He will be in prison for a while after this incident, but he needs some guidance.
As a fan of the Buckeyes myself, it breaks my heart to see a former player do this. I always wish the absolute best for all former and current athletes at Ohio State because I love the university. Barton is troubled and needs to find a way to get his life back on track.
Our thoughts are with the family of the young victim. This is a tragic situation for all involved. This should also be a warning to those out there to never drive drunk. It's simply not worth it. There are too many other options out there, so don't make the same choice Barton did.