Kendrick Duane Schwendeman dies in fatal Malta, Morgan County, Ohio crash
Fatal Malta, Morgan County, Ohio crash death of Kendrick Duane Schwendeman
Kendrick Duane Schwendeman, a 31-year-old resident of Waterford, tragically lost his life when his truck veered off North Riverview Road near the Muskingum River in Malta and plunged into the water.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that Schwendeman was driving a 1999 Ford F‑350 southbound late Thursday night, when he left the roadway, collided with a tree, and overturned into the river.
Late Saturday morning, at around 10:17 a.m., authorities were alerted to a body in the Muskingum River near North Riverview Road; the victim was confirmed to be Schwendeman and was declared dead at the scene.
Emergency teams, including a dive unit, located the submerged vehicle roughly a half-mile south of Upper Douda Road, confirming his identity and the circumstances of the wreck.
The highway patrol has launched a full investigation into the crash, which occurred between 10:30 p.m. and midnight and is collaborating with the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington-Morgan County Coroner’s Office, Little Hocking Volunteer Fire Department dive crews, and Westfall Towing.
Kendrick Duane Schwendeman was born on September 30, 1993, and held a degree in agriculture from Ohio State University. He had been working as an agriculture technician for Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District and was deeply involved in local farming communities and organizations, including the Waterford Community Fair board and the county farm bureau.
He is survived by his parents, his sister Katrina and her husband Adam, nephew Benton, and his grandparents, along with numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandparents Jeanette Schwendeman and Virgil Hutchins.
Visitation is scheduled for June 26, 2025, from 2:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Barlow Chapel of Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home in Barlow, followed by a funeral mass on June 27 at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church in Lowell, with burial at Ava Maria Cemetery in Waterford.
