Portage County Courthouse in Ravenna, Ohio
The driver of a garbage truck that struck an SUV in January, killing a passenger and injuring the driver, on Route 303 in Shalersville has been charged with misdemeanors.
James M. Willis, 37, of Euclid, is charged in Portage County Municipal Court in Ravenna with first- and second-degree misdemeanor vehicular homicide in the death of Mantua resident Linda Baker, according to court records. Willis was also cited with minor misdemeanor failure to yield.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said the driver of a Kimble Recycling and Disposal garbage truck, identified as Willis, allegedly failed to yield at a stop sign while making a left turn onto Route 303 and into the path of the eastbound SUV, a 2012 Ford Edge, on Jan. 27. The truck struck the SUV, forcing it to go off the road, where it overturned.
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Baker, 80, died after EMS took her to UH Portage Medical Center. The SUV’s driver, Ravenna resident John T. Gladish, 86, was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. No injuries were reported to Willis.
Gladish, Baker and Willis were all wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, the highway patrol said.
The case was taken to a grand jury and an indictment including only the misdemeanors was filed Tuesday. The case was then ordered transferred to the municipal court.
Information concerning upcoming court dates was not immediately available.
Reporter Jeff Saunders can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: Garbage truck driver facing misdemeanors in fatal Shalersville crash
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/garbage-truck-driver-charged-misdemeanors-170017035.html
