A Hillsboro man was charged this week with vehicular homicide in relation to an auto accident that claimed the life of a Hillsboro woman on SR 73 in Clinton County last year.

The charge, a first-degree misdemeanor, was filed Tuesday in Clinton County Municipal Court against Ethan Adkins, 19, according to online court records.

As reported in November of last year, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said Adkins was driving southbound on SR 73 when his vehicle struck the rear of another soutbound vehicle, driven by Hailee Heflin, 22, as she was preparing to make a left turn on Antioch Road south of Wilmington.

According to the patrol, Heflin’s vehicle was forced left of center and struck head-on by a van.

The patrol said Heflin was not wearing her seat belt at the time of the crash, and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Heflin’s passenger, a 2-year-old child, was injured in the accident, the patrol said.

The four occupants of the van reportedly sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and Adkins was not transported.

Adkins will be arraigned in Wilmington at 9 a.m. Feb. 21.

Vehicular homicide includes a sentence of up to six months in jail and a mandatory license suspension for one year to five years. To reach felony level, the charge would have to be aggravated vehicular homicide.

Reach David Wright at 937-402-2570, or on Twitter @DavidWrighter.