2 Ohio State students killed in car crash

Ohio State students Kevin Kody Knight and Bryan Eugene Taylor were killed instantly in a one-car accident early Sunday morning in Lima, Ohio.

Knight, who was known as Kody, was 25 and a fourth-year in welding engineering. Taylor was a 24-year-old student at OSU's Lima campus.

"We don't know a lot of the details of the accident. It's still under investigation," said Knight's brother, Kristopher Knight, who flew home Monday from serving in Iraq. "What we do know is that he was in a one-vehicle accident. It was my brother's car. … They both were ejected from the vehicle and death was immediate."

Kristopher said the sheriff's department could not yet determine if Kody or Taylor was driving.

"Kody and Bryan attended Bath High School together (in Lima). Bryan was a year behind Kody in school. Bryan was in the Army; their military service was something they had in common," Kristopher said.

Kristopher said Kody and Taylor attended Bath High School in Lima together and Taylor was a year behind Kody. Military service was something they had in common, he said. Taylor was in the army.

"(Kody) was in the Marine Corps prior to enrolling in college. He was stationed in Twentynine Palms, Calif., and played (trombone) in the Marine Corps' band. He did his four years (of service), then enrolled at OSU," Kristopher said.

Amy Lautzenheiser, Kody's longtime girlfriend, said in an email that Kody had many friends.

"He loved his family very much. He loved playing soccer, and in high school he played varsity in soccer, wrestling and tennis. He loved life and lived to its fullest," she said in the email. "He never let anything keep him down and always had a smile on his face. He will be missed by so many people."

Kody worked at Woody's Tavern inside the Ohio Union.

"He was a really nice, happy-go-lucky kind of guy," said Dalton Bruner, a fourth-year in psychology and Kody's co-worker. "It was fun to be around him."

The last time Bruner saw him was April 29 at work.

"We left on good, happy terms. I worked with him every Friday this quarter so far and over Christmas," Bruner said.

Kristopher said the last time he saw his brother was in Columbus about two or three weeks ago.

"We were playing cards and spent the night at my youngest brother (Kameron Knight's) house," Kristopher said.

Kameron graduated from OSU in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in pharmaceutical science.

"My co-workers love (Kody), and they were a wreck yesterday. People are having trouble working their shift," said Brittany Prevo, a fourth-year in human development and family sciences and a student manager at Woody's Tavern. "No one expected it."

Ruth Gerstner, the director of communications for the Office of Student Life, said the Student Advocacy Center will offer counseling for students and work with the families to take care of any university business.

"We have sent the families sympathy letters from the president and vice president of student life," Gerstner said.

On May 19 at 7 p.m. in the Interfaith Prayer Reflection Room in the Ohio Union, a memorial service will be held for all OSU students who have died this year, Gerstner said. 

"They're very touching and uplifting. Our goal is to help (the families) and do what we can. The amount of help depends on the individual circumstance, like if they are from out of town we help them arrange to get here," Gerstner said. 

While Gerstner estimates that about 15 to 20 students pass away each year, she said at least 21 students have died this year. A memorial service is held annually for all the students that died that year.

"It's good to see that other people cared about your loved one too and that they were important to the Ohio State community," Gerstner said.

Calling hours (for Kody) will be Wednesday from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Chamberlain-Huckeriede Funeral Home in Lima. Lima Baptist Temple will hold services at 5 p.m. Thursday. Kody will be buried at Altstaetter Cemetery in Columbus Grove, according to the Lima News obituary.

More information about the students' deaths was not available.

"Kody was just an all-around great guy, one of a kind. Anyone would say so. He was the one you could count on to make you laugh," Lautzenheiser said in the email. "He was a great boyfriend, and I would never trade the time I got with him for anything."