Four employees with Enterprise Mobility, Larry Edwards, 77, of Tipp City; Stephen Cassel, 72, of Clayton; Richard Coatney, 77, of Piqua; and Richard Turnbull, 66, of Lewisburg were killed in the crash, according to the Ohio State Highway Patrol. A fifth person had serious, life-threatening injuries and was taken to Miami Valley Hospital.
Hughes suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to Kettering Health Dayton.
“Four innocent men were killed, and a fifth man’s world forever changed by the reckless actions of a drunk driver,” said Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. “This senseless tragedy serves as a stark reminder of devastating consequences driving under the influence can have on innocent families. This defendant must be held accountable for his dangerous action.”
On April 1, multiple police departments received calls about a reckless driver on Interstate 70 near the Dayton International Airport exit.
The first crash was around 2:10 p.m., after a Volvo driven by Hughes reportedly rear-ended Nissan Frontier pickup truck and fled.
The driver of the truck followed Hughes as he took the airport exit while he continued to provide information to dispatchers, troopers said.
Hughes continued to drive away, reaching close to 90 mph in an area with a posted speed limit of 40 mph, according to the prosecutor’s office.
At the intersection of Terminal and Boeing drives, Hughes reportedly T-boned a minivan that was driven by Edwards. The second crash took place around 2:14 p.m.
The men inside the minivan worked at the nearby Enterprise Mobility business at the airport.
“We are horrified and deeply saddened by the crash that occurred near Dayton International Airport (on April 1). We are heartbroken this event resulted in the loss of four Enterprise Mobility team members and injuries to another. We mourn with our team, the family and friends of those impacted by this tragedy,” the company previously said in a statement.
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