A New Vienna woman was one of nine people sent to area hospitals Tuesday from a Wilmington car accident that resulted in a man being charged with felonious assault, police said.
Five hours after he was released from his ankle monitor with the Clinton County Juvenile Probation Department, Justin Ronald Lemmings, 18, reportedly caused an accident that resulted in several injuries near Walmart in Wilmington, according to police. He was still on probation at the time of the wreck, police said.
Lemmings was arraigned in Clinton County Municipal Court Wednesday morning on a charge of felonious assault.
Sgt. Robert Martin of the Wilmington Police Department told the News Journal that Lemmings could face more charges, including an additional assault charge and aggravated vehicular assault.
The crash, which occurred at around 4:10 p.m. Tuesday, involved a 2002 Chevrolet Impala, driven by Lemmings, and a 2006 Chevrolet Equinox SUV, operated by Ashley Davis, 33, of New Vienna.
Lemmings is incarcerated in the Clinton County Jail on a $25,000 cash surety bond, according to a Wilmington Police Department incident report, which states that, “The city requested a high bond ($50,000) due to the nature of the charge as well as the seriousness of the injuries, some of which are life-threatening and at the very least life-changing.”
A person listed as a witness in the report stated that the Impala operated by Lemmings ran a red light and T-boned the Equinox. Authorities interviewed eight witnesses to the crash.
The injured occupants of the vehicles were transported to hospitals by Miami Valley CareFlight, Wilmington Fire Department, Sabina Fire Department and Clinton-Highland Joint Fire District.
They were sent to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton as well as to Clinton Memorial Hospital and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
Miami Valley Hospital confirmed that Davis was in critical condition as of mid-afternoon Wednesday.
Davis is a second-grade teacher at Holmes Elementary School in Wilmington. Principal Karen Long told the News Journal that Davis and her family are in her prayers.
Three juveniles — one 6-year-old and two 8-year-olds — were transported to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. The two 8-year-olds were released; there was no update on the 6-year-old.
Martin said a teenage occupant in Lemmings’ vehicle was transported from Clinton Memorial Hospital via medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital. An 18-year-old passenger in Lemmings’ vehicle from Martinsville was expected to be released from CMH. A 21-year-old Xenia female, also a passenger in Lemmings’ vehicle, was treated and released from CMH.
Police took a blood sample from Lemmings as evidence. Martin said authorities sent the sample to a crime lab and are awaiting the results.
The Clinton County Sheriff’s Office and Ohio State Highway Patrol were also on the scene.
Lemmings is scheduled for another hearing June 4 in Clinton County Municipal Court.
On Feb. 20 Lemmings was found guilty of disorderly conduct in municipal court, a fourth-degree misdemeanor, according to court records.
He was fined $250 plus court costs of $125, and other costs for a total of $475, and was given a suspended 10-day jail sentence. He was also ordered to write a letter of apology to the female victim, commit no offenses for two years and complete non-reporting probation.
