The Ross County Grand Jury returned all 20 of their cases Friday, March 1st, with eight open for release to the public. From testimony in the the grand jury in one of the cases, according to the Ross County Prosecutor’s Office and the report from the Ohio State Highway Patrol:
On December 9th, 22-year-old Abigail Preston of Waverly had been drinking at the Hardtail Cafe & Saloon on Eastern Avenue in Chillicothe, when she headed south on US 23 in her Volvo.
Just before 10:15pm she failed to maintain assured clear distance near Three Locks Road, and rear-ended a Dodge carrying three adults and three juveniles. Both the Dodge and Volvo went left into the northbound lanes of US 23.
Preston’s Volvo then hit a northbound Buick, killing the driver, 68-year-old Phillip Pryor of Zanesville. A female passenger in the Buick was taken to Grant Medical Center with serious injuries.
All six people inside the Dodge were taken to Adena Regional Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
Preston was not injured in the crash and was arrested on aggravated vehicular homicide and more. She was originally indicted on six charges in the December 13th grand jury, but was additionally indicted on four additional counts March 1st after results from her urine test – which included not just alcohol, but meth.
In total, she has:
- In the first set, four counts of second degree felony aggravated vehicular homicide for the driver of the Buick.
- Then in the second set, five counts of third degree felony aggravated vehicular assault for the Buick passenger and Dodge driver and passengers.
- Plus, a tenth count is for second degree felony vehicular assault.
Among those are counts for 1) evidence from the breathalyzer test, 2) an elevated alcohol level in the breathalyzer test, 3) alcohol in the urine sample, and 4) meth in the urine sample.
For those indictments, the first set could total 32 years and $60,000 in fines. The second could total 7 1/2 tears and $25,000 in fines. The last could reach 1 1/2 years and $5,000.
Find the article on the Scioto Post, including six other Grand Jury stories..
Kevin Coleman covers local government and culture for the Scioto Post and iHeart Media Southern Ohio. For stories or questions, contact Kevin Coleman or the iHeart Southern Ohio Newsroom.