The driver, Jon Sergent, 28, appeared in court on Thursday, facing charges of both aggravated vehicular homicide and vehicular homicide for fleeing the scene of a fatal crash in West Price Hill.
Jon Sergent, 28, is facing such charges despite the fact that the police report suggests the other driver was at fault for the incident. The police report does state that detectives believe the sergeant was speeding.
He also didn’t have a valid driver’s license and was on probation, according to court documents.
Sergent was allegedly driving eastbound on West 8th Street on November 27 when his vehicle collided with an Acura traveling southbound on Rosemont Avenue, killing Jerry Griffin, Jr., 30.
The crash report states that Sergeant had a flashing yellow light and Griffin had a flashing red light. Sergeant is suspected of fleeing the accident, leaving an injured female passenger in his car and Griffin behind.
Two of Griffin’s family members testified in court, requesting that Sergent remain in jail.
“I believe in justice. I believe in the court system and because [Sergent] was gone for so long and didn’t turn himself in, didn’t stay behind [at the scene of the crash], didn’t do anything to show remorse, I think that he’s a flight risk,” said Michael Griffin, Jerry Griffin’s uncle.
A judge set bond at $1 million while Sergent’s attorney argued for a moderate bond amount.
“It does indicate, at least according to the police report, that unit one, which was unfortunately the person who passed away, potentially was the cause of the accident and [the report] indicates that the intersection they were at had a flashing yellow and a flashing red. Unit one had the flashing red and unit two had the flashing yellow,” said his attorney.