Dayton man sentenced to prison for fatal OVI crash outside Dunbar High School

Shamare Deonte Davis

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Credit: Montgomery County Jail

Shamare Deonte Davis

A Dayton man was sentenced to serve at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to charges in connection to a fatal crash.

Shamare Davis, 19, pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol and having weapons while under disability, according to court documents. He faced more than a decade in prison and was sentenced by Montgomery County Common Pleas Court Judge Richard Skelton last week.

In the evening of Aug. 8, 2020, Davis was driving on Nicholas Road, according to a sentencing memorandum filed in the case. Prosecutors said he was drunk and high and was traveling over 70 miles per hour on a 35-mile-per-hour road.

“In this stretch of road there is no sidewalk, so Samuel Trammel faced traffic as he walked westbound along the side of the Nicholas Road,” the state said in their court document. “The driver of a white car— traveling in the same direction as defendant—safely passed by Samuel without incident. Seconds later, defendant struck Samuel. After he struck Samuel, he crossed the road, entered into the lawn of Dunbar High School, sideswiped two trees, and came to rest after traveling over 160 yards—he was not aware enough to brake until he had traveled over half that distance.”

Trammel suffered multiple blunt force injuries and died at the scene, prosecutors said.

Davis’ defense attorney also filed a memorandum and asked the judge to sentence him to three to four and a half years in prison, noting that his client was 18 at the time of the crash and showed instant remorse at the scene.

“He is still extremely immature and has made some terrible decisions where he did not consider future consequences,” the defense said in their memorandum.

Skelton said during the sentencing that he was troubled by the fact that Davis was pulled over in July of this year driving drunk. The state noted that Davis was told that the mother of his unborn child was in an accident and at Miami Valley Hospital, but “an officer of 22 years on road patrol for the Dayton Police Department described him as drunk as he’s ever seen someone who could still stand.”

The state also said he had a loaded weapon inside the car at the time.

Davis could face up to 7 and a half years in prison depending on his behavior while incarcerated.

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