Credit: Montgomery County Jail
Credit: Montgomery County Jail
Ward was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Cruze the night of July 15, 2020 and ran a red light while headed south on Olive Road at Little Richmond Road in Trotwood. The car hit a Mazda CX-9 driven by 35-year-old Leah Smith of Dayton, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Both cars went off the road, overturned and hit multiple trees, according to a crash report. The Cruze also caught fire.
Smith was killed in the crash, and so were two of Ward’s passengers — 18-year-olds Michael Stephens of Trotwood, and Elgin Wilson IV of Dayton.
Smith’s 3-year-old son suffered minor injuries in the crash, and Ward was taken to a local hospital with suspected serious injuries, according to the crash report.
Prosecutors said that Ward did not have a valid driver’s license, was driving at least double the speed limit and was driving on the wrong side of the road at the time of the crash.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
During the sentencing, the families of the three victims spoke. The mothers of Stephens and Wilson said that the young men were everything to them, and that while the crash may have been an accident, there are still consequences. Stephens’ mother said her son was going to play college football at Ohio Dominican, while Wilson’s mother said Wilson is deeply missed by her and his family.
The mothers also said they feel they have not received an apology for what took place.
The family of Smith said they and her children will miss their mother forever. The family said they also feel that Ward hasn’t taken responsibility for the crash. One family member said Ward has a decision to make — he can now become a better person while in prison or he can become a worse criminal.
Prosecutors said in a sentencing memorandum ahead of the hearing that Ward’s conduct should make every motorist feel unsafe if he is on the road.
“Although this was not a purposeful murder, defendant’s actions could not have been more reckless on July 15, 2020,” prosecutors said. “This court has heard from witnesses who saw defendant’s dangerous driving before the crash. His friends, and a wholly independent witness, saw him driving at excessive speeds, weaving in and out of traffic and driving in the wrong lane. He used a 3000-pound missile as a toy.”
Along with the prison sentence, Montgomery County Judge Mary Wiseman also took away Ward’s right to have a driver’s license for life.
Meanwhile, defense attorney Jon Paul Rion said in court that there is a difference between defendants who mean to cause harm and those who accidentally do. He said that Ward was Stephens’ step-brother and was also related to Smith.
“Mr. Ward is beside himself with grief and remorse and asks this court to understand that he had no intention of causing harm,” Rion wrote in his own sentencing memorandum. “For this, he shall be forever distraught and fragmented.”
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