ASHLAND – An Ashland man has been indicted on a charge of aggravated vehicular homicide for alleged reckless driving that caused a fatal crash last November.
Raymond L. Stafford, 49, 603 Vine Street, faces a third-degree felony charge of aggravated vehicular homicide. He was arrested on a warrant on a subrosa indictment and booked into the Ashland County Jail on Saturday.
The indictment alleges Stafford’s reckless driving on November 28, 2016 caused the death of Ernest L. Whitesel.
Whitesel, 37, of Sullivan, was driving north on Ohio 58 south of Township Road 350 when Stafford, who was also headed north, attempted to pass Whitesel’s vehicle and the two vehicles collided, the Ohio Highway Patrol reported at the time.
Whitesel’s vehicle traveled off the east side of the road, struck a ditch, rolled several times and came to final rest on its top in a field. Whitesel was not wearing his seat belt and was ejected from his vehicle. He was transported to Akron General’s Lodi Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. Stafford was not injured in the crash.
Stafford had an initial court appearance via video conference Monday and is set to be arraigned Thursday.
