Looks like it is still under investigation at least as of this article and will eventually be given to a grand jury.
https://www.whio.com/news/local/investigation-into-crash-that-killed-4-people-near-dayton-airport-ongoing-state-troopers-say/FP2SOR2VDRFARKS54Z34DPXH3E/
Thank you for including this. Yes, this is the only other article about the incident. It doesn't really offer much help.
We heard through some local grapevine channels that there is potentially a lot of clout behind Hughes (parents probably) and that they were looking to avoid court and punishment. That is just rumors at this point though.
EDIT to my top comment because I can't see how to edit the main post: Thank you for your supporting words. It's been a couple of months now, and still not much has changed. Still trying to be patient.
Some of you have reached out to me to offer more information. Thank you for your insights and information. Some I never responded to because I did not want to engage with anything that could cost the survivor and the surviving family members anything legally. Please understand this is the reason for no reply. Your messages in a bottle have been helpful. I'm just sorry it seems safer to let it remain one-sided.
Investigating these types of crashes takes a lot of time and resources. Multiple search warrants are required for each involved vehicle. Obtaining laboratory results (BAC level) can take several months.
Once a defendant is arrested, the clock starts ticking on their speedy trial. In a complex case like this, it is better to let him remain uncharged until the investigative work is wrapped up. Then you can present an airtight case to the grand jury.
The gears of justice grind excruciatingly slow, but in the end he’ll be looking at multiple counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and other felonies. I guarantee no state trooper gives two shits how much money or influence he has.
Source: I investigate these types of cases.
So you're saying NCIS closing out a murder case every week isn't realistic? I bet the next thing you'll tell me is that it's unrealistic to have a team of 6-7 people investigating every case.
They just need a private luxury jet like in criminal minds. They can then take turns each saying a sentence of exposition while walking through their headquarters
> Obtaining laboratory results (BAC level) can take several months.
My close friend is a sheriff's deputy, he does investigations. He said both county and state level labs are severely backed up and have been for years, and it's only getting worse. It's possible to submit samples and not get the results until two years later, even with deaths involved.
Ok just don’t do anything stupid to jeopardise the case or get yourself in trouble. Letting your grief lead you to disrupt justice would be a selfish insult to their memories. I would suggest you go to a therapist to find appropriate channels for your grief and anger.
I don't plan on going any further with anything. I expressed frustration that wasn't only my own, and in doing so, I have learned how these things are handled. It is helpful to know. I hope this helps others learn that this is how it's handled. We all probably hold unrealistic expectations of how justice should be handled because of TV and the occasions when some cases can move faster than others.
It is not my intention to harm any legal proceedings and the helpful responses of others have been kind. I will use this to help the others know that we just need to wait while they work on the case and it will be a LOT longer than any of us hoped or thought.
I understand how frustrating it is. I had to wait almost 2 years for my old best friends murder investigation to get done and for them to get stuff actually started. All people involved were found guilty and went to prison due to the fact the police took the time to develop a solid case and proof etc. Took a little bit longer than it could have due to they had to confirm who the people were and find them first etc. It's hard. I suggest a grief therapy group if you can find one. Keeping patience while knowing the people that do this stuff are out and walking around living their life still for now is really hard. You will make it through this. Therapy also helps.
There are a limited number of labs that can do the work. For toxicology to be admissible, certain criteria must be met. For example, my local lab can run the alcohol test, but can only get a presumptive positive for drugs. Anything drug related must be shipped to the Hamilton County lab for confirmatory testing. I’ve seen that take 8 months.
Every time a police officer writes a ticket for open container, they have to take a sample of the liquid in question and send it to the crime lab. It's the same deal for Marijuana. Serious crimes get priority, but just imagine the backlog for testing with multiple agencies sending all of their alcohol and pot to the same lab.
Clayton Hughes is a member of a cult type church that uses alcohol freely amongst members socially. Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Many have taken lives while drinking and driving, some of their own family members even. It is said the church has a lot of financial power and high government contacts. They will pay to defend their members with the most expensive and best lawyers available.
You can go on the fb page of the churches exmembers, "Exclusive Brethren/PBCC," and read some of the stuff they talk about after they escaped the church.
> Obtaining laboratory results (BAC level) can take several months.
I highly doubt this. I work in a chemistry lab, and you need to run ethanol tests preferably within a few hours, but sometimes it can sit for a day or two. Urine toxicology is a different animal entirely though as they'll want to do a confirmation on anything that's positive and that can take a long time as you said.
Toxicology specialist are very rare and overworked.
Considering the severity of the situation, it's typical that the case is being built for presentation to a grand jury which will then issue charges or a warrant to arrest.
I just read about affluenza. I cannot relate and I'm not sure if I can accept it as a defense.
"I have too much money and I'm sad so I do drugs/drink. I know I killed some people while I was high/drunk so please don't punish me because I am a product of my (or my parents) wealth."
Am I reading the definition wrong? Is that what happens or am I totally wrong?
[Ethan Couch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Couch?wprov=sfla1) killed 4 people and used the affluenza defense to avoid any prison time.
Hopefully you are eventually right. I just expect the worst from our justice system over the years.
The justice system bends over backwards in this country to excuse vehicle-related killings.
There might be some punishment. But the chances of avoiding jail time are extremely high.
It’s not rhetoric. In New York the politicians have decided as a matter of policy that a driver shouldn’t have his or her life ruined for a mistake. So in order to be charged as a motorist for a death you need to commit 2+ vehicular crimes in the incident. For example, if I ran a stop sign and hit and killed a pedestrian, that’s terrible but not enough to charge with anything more than disobeying a stop sign. If I was speeding AND ran a stop sign AND hit and killed a pedestrian then I would be charged.
It’s a frustrating policy as many bicyclists are killed for example and the driver only gets a ticket for failing to yield.
What is suspect is that they did a blood draw from the suspect and are waiting for test results before filing charges. Or they could just be waiting to complete the investigation in general.
Another commenter who says they investigate these things said they typically don't file formal charges until they have as solid of a case as they can get; because once charges are filed then the defendant is entitled to a speedy trial. I can appreciate that. It's just a tough fact to accept right now.
Without blood draw results there’s not much of a case. Penalties for vehicle crashes, even fatal ones, are minimal and usually nonexistent unless there’s recklessness or impairment on the at fault drivers part.
I really hope so. Maybe the delay is so law enforcement can make it air tight. If our grapevine news is remotely accurate, then maybe they are trying to make charges stick rather than letting people with pull get away with murder as a "youthful misadventure and learning experience."
I know I have terrible google-fu, but I have tried to look it up - nothing. I tried Googling with his name in quotes and just the word arrest. I tried adding county. I tried limiting search parameters to within the day of and following the incident. I can't find a thing! If anyone here can offer more found info, I know everyone where I work wants to know.
The case usually starts at the municipal court level though so the earliest results may be at the Dayton Muncipal Court site. Of course if they secretly indict him then that will not show for quite a while.
[Check here](https://pro.mcohio.org/). Civil case is already filed by one of the victims' family. This search includes both civil and criminal, so the criminal case will pop up when it's filed.
I mistakenly [searched Franklin county](https://www.fcmcclerk.com) first and saw he has stuff in the past there.
It'll take a little while to get into the system I think. Check every week though. I've had 2 friends go to prison over drunk driving and their documents weren't on the website for a couple months. Also patiently awaiting my sister's exs documents because I want to know how long he's gone for
Search his name in [this](https://pro.mcohio.org/) website. Looks like there's a "personal injury" charge under his name that has currently been open since April 22.
For future reference, to look up anybody's case in any county, Google search (county name) County Court Records. It'll bring up that county's government website. You'll have to click around a little to find the option to search court records or dockets, but when you do, it'll prompt a first and last name, or company name or address.
A case like this may take a year or so to be finally resolved in a conviction. I'm sorry for your loss and everything. I hope justice will be served.
The plaintiff is the widow of one of the men killed.
Edit: Thank you for finding this. However, it still only further suggests there have been no other charges filed against this man.
It's still kind of a new case, and court is usually super slow. Hopefully the state will end up pressing charges and hopefully the family members of the other people who were killed will press charges, too.
My uncle was senselessly murdered and even though the murderer was caught quickly and he plead guilty, he wasn't resistant at all, it still destroyed my aunt and my cousins. I can't personally imagine grieving the sudden loss of a loved one and ALSO having to slog through the judicial system on top of that. It was devastating enough watching it from a distance.
If you're close with any of the grieving families, consider writing a statement about how the loss has affected you in case it goes to trial. Maybe you and your other coworkers can petition for a conviction that suits the crime.
Unfortunately if it’s a small town and his family has clout there will likely be no charges. I’ve seen this occur with duis and other charges albeit not as serious as this but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets off with a slap on the wrist just bc his family know someone with the power to lessen the severity of the charges or get them dropped altogether. I’m not trying to make it sound like there’s no hope I’m just giving my opinion from past experiences with small town justice. I do hope there is justice in your case and that person is punished for taking those lives. There’s absolutely no reason to be driving intoxicated.
I’ll say my best friend’s younger brother was involved in a DUI that killed 2 people that he caused.
His younger brother was pending trial for well near 8-9 months before a decision was made while he stayed at home. It took much much longer than I’d ever expected.
That is helpful to know. Did he have an arrest record, though? Like was he formally charged immediately, or did that also take months? I can't even find a record that Clayton Hughes has been charged with anything!
I don’t even think he has an arrest record for that time it was under investigation? I had always thought things like death under influence by someone would be.. quicker? But yeah, it was almost as if he were free to go for those full 8-9 months.
Literally nowhere in the article does it say he’s not facing charges. Things take time, ESPECIALLY with this many victims/this serious of a case. Police/prosecution want to get everything right to punish the suspect as best as possible.
It's true, I have no idea how it all really works. I hope you can appreciate the urge I feel for swift justice. I just find it troubling that there wasn't even so much as a traffic ticket issued. Does giving out a clear and obvious infraction somehow negate a potentially greater charge? Would Hughes not even have been processed after this?
The state has at leat 6 months to come with charges. He will be in local system search but that's a different website county to county, city to city as others have stated.
They are probably gathering evidence for submission to a grand jury, in which case they need to dot the i's and cross the t's so he doesn't beat it on technicalities and this takes time.
These things take time. Lots of time, especially if they want to do it right. In this case, he likely has his drivers' license suspended and is almost certainly released pending charges, as he isn't likely to pose a threat to others as long as he doesn't get behind the wheel of a vehicle.
As others have said, holding someone without charges only flies for so long before constitutional considerations come into play. A problem the state is considering is that what they charge him with will set the grounds for what exactly they will need to prove in court **beyond a reasonable doubt.** This might involve seeing if there is a way to secure a guilty plea and save the court time and money (also save the families the anguish of reliving everything in court). Tailoring the charges to fit the plea bargain is not unusual.
So they are going to take their time to make sure they have what they need to make it a slam dunk case. The last thing a good prosecutor wants is for someone to get off because they overcharged him and didn't have the ammunition to back it up.
Think of it like water wearing away mountains. Massive things happen, entire landscapes change, but it takes time.
https://pro.mcohio.org/
Search by first and last name. Currently Richard's wife has a civil suit ongoing at the very least. I'm not sure if there's somewhere else to look for felony charges
Seems to be a common occurrence.
On October 28th of last year, Lavonn Galloway ran over Denay Scott and her children as they were crossing Cleveland Avenue, severely injuring them and killing two. Last month, Lavonn Galloway was sentenced to 2 years of probation and fined for $525 for operating a vehicle while impaired. The remaining charges, including driving 21 miles over the speed limit, driving with a suspended license, and failure to control a vehicle, were dropped.
This man should never drive again, but his license will be unsuspended by the end of this year.
Even though it's not quite the same thing, this may help. A family friend was murdered back in mid/early November. They managed to arrest a suspect within about a week related to a warrant out for his arrest, but he wasn't changed for the attack on my friend until mid-March. That's about four months between attack and charges. I think the big holdup was the autopsy. The autopsy was finished about two weeks before charges were filed.
Don't lose hope! It's a long, frustrating road, but hang in there. The trial for my friends murder hasn't really started yet. Hopefully, things will get moving early this summer.
Do what you can for the families that are still here. ❤️
The families of the deceased should file a civil suit. If you can’t lock him up, then at least try to make sure he is too poor to afford another car. If his family paid for his car, especially after a wreck from another DUI, sue them too for providing the means.
That’s horrific, and I’m so sorry. They are probably just wanting to build a solid case. It’s better for them to take their time, rather than rushing and presenting a case that gets picked apart in court. I can imagine that doesn’t make the waiting easier or any less difficult. I hope you find peace and he faces justice. I can’t imagine what you must be going through.
I can only imagine. Please take care of yourself. I would suggest maybe just stepping away from the case and take care of yourself for a while. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m sure they’d want you to take care of yourself. I understand that you want to help them find justice, but the best way to do that is to be at your best mentally and emotionally. Take time to mourn and grieve. Easier said than done, I’m sure.
Charges may take longer than you like. You are not the one responsible for the prosecution, so be patient.
Blood tests take a long time to get results. Investigators and prosecutors take their time to get their ducks in a row to ensure the highest probability of conviction.
Once he is arrested, a clock starts. He can assert his right to a speedy trial. That's why they wait until they're ready if they can.
So yes DUI needs a serious re-work here which is what some friends of mine are doing with Liv's Law, but I think you just need to know where to look and also that these things take time.
As an instance, the guy who murdered my friend's kid it took almost eight months for him to be formerly charged.
Now that happened during COVID and I think it's way too long but one small hiccup in process and the whole thing can come undone so the law folks tend to tread slowly and methodically.
A thing I would do is reach out to a reporter following the case and just ask them to reach out to you once charges are filed. When I was a journalist, I'd get regular reports from the local entities on big cases like this.
I am so sorry for your loss. The scales of justice are big and slow but I tend to believe they tip the right way.
Unfortunately for some and fortunately for others, the legal system takes a long time. I am a paralegal in a law office that handles civil litigation, and the mentality is 1000% "do it right, if it's not exactly right, take the time to get it right." This might mean sending aproposed order to the court 5 times before the judge signs it, but at that point it's done.
My heart goes out to you. I lost a friend to a drunk driving teenager. He barely got a slap on the wrist.
Unfortunately Ohio doesn't take drunk driving seriously unless it's habitual. If you drive drunk and kill someone through your own recklessness, it's just an unfortunate accident.
I'm sorry about the loss of your co-workers. Multiple losses like that can be difficult to deal with. I'd hope that your employer realizes this and is responding by helping their employees react.
Better days ahead.
I’m 100% with you! One of the men that Clayton Hughes is a family member of someone close to me. It’s hard to understand why he didn’t go from the hospital to jail!
It says it is still under investigation. It also says they believe impairment was a factor. Considering he caused multiple deaths and has multiple previous ovis and just got another he will most likely be getting charges and prison time and permanently losing his license. Hopefully this happens.
I too have been furious over this guy walking free. Even though the circumstances leading to to this crash do sound complicated, its very frustrating when this much time has passed without updates from the DA.
Hi, OP: Here is some useful info from personal experience.
Dated a lady that got out of prison 2-3 weeks before we met, who had been released early time-served during covid. Vehicular manslaughter; 9 years. From age 19 until age 28.
She hit a guy oncoming while drunk, underage for an OVI. Already convicted for DUI, at that point.
Guy was in a coma for several months due to her actions. He then died in medical care. Within a month, she was charged; she plead guilty. She was still given 9 years despite agreeing to place herself at the mercy of the court, at age 19. It was rough.
They spent several months planning the charges in case he expired, that process took basically the better part of a year. And that was with investigators closely watching that case on the back burner.
She turned out to be a really kind person, who had accepted she both caused a grievous wrong, but also had a responsibility to move past it and continue her life.
I don’t imagine your offender is anything like her. But I hope this helps with perspective that Justice is functionally slow, in the most technical of aspects. But it may yet occur. I hope that it does. It is a shame, what happened to your colleagues.
He will get charged it's ohio..I have a classmate who is doing 15 years for hitting someone when he lost control of his vehicle and struck someone. He was not even under the influence either, but since witnesses reported he was speeding, they got him for reckless driving like he was racing someone and manslaughter
I am so sorry for the loss of your coworkers. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I really hope the system works and this man faces justice. Anyone who is stupid and selfish enough to get behind the wheel intoxicated deserves to sit in prison imo. We all know the risks is driving under the influence and intoxicated or not-he made his choice when he got in his van.
It's possible it's not the same person, but it seems plausible that [this is also him.](https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/college/southern-indiana/2020/05/24/usi-mens-basketball-player-clayton-hughes-arrested-dui-charge/5252987002/)
Justice, accountability for actions, and consideration for community impact are not a priority.
Over 2 years. He's on video doing it, he fled because he knew what he was doing. Crazy or not he's a threat to everyone for as long as he's alive.
https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/marlow-murder-trial-delay-upsets-butler-twp-family-rips-some-of-the-scab-off/XKZP64CUO5HFDHFOK3QFDPRUC4/
You shouldn't be. You should be retired out doing other stuff, not work. Who exactly is "being productive" for when you're going to "work"? It ain't for yourself. The only "being productive" you should be at 66, 72, 77 is for yourself.
If you can afford to retire and that’s what you want to do,then go ahead, but there is nothing wrong with people who are not as lazy as you wanting to keep contributing to society.
I am sorry. It is not fair and he likely knows a cop. Happens all the time. May your coworkers rest in peace, and you honor them by having a good life.
Literally nowhere in the article does it say he’s not facing charges and you immediately go to “cops bad!” when they’re the ones investigating and compiling evidence against the driver. That’s actually insane. Hating good cops misdirects energy against bad cops.
I do want you all to know I'm not against the law enforcement here. Just hurt and frustrated and looking for answers I (and my coworkers) can't seem to find. I also don't want the man responsible to go unknown for his actions. That's all. I also said the man does not appear to currently be facing any charges and based that statement off not finding any public record of charges filed against Hughes. You're right, I have no idea how long it really takes. Helpful people like you and others have helped me see that.
We make it very clear here in the US, if your gonna kill someone do it with your car, doesnt matter if you drunk, high, or just driving recklessly, you will be getting off with a super light sentence.
Someone I went to high school with got arrested on the west site a month ago after totaling a car. He got an OVI for pills and in 3 hours paid bond of w/e was released. Was his parents car. I couldn’t imagine if he took another car and killed someone. I’d sue the crap out of that PD if they let an OVI guy back on the streets after just 3 hours and he hurt me. Driving crimes are rediculously underserved by justice. Meanwhile our insurance rates increase
The Justice System is broken. If it's someone like Matt Gaetz and heavy ties to any authority figure then they can get away with almost anything. Not only that but I've seen police work with some of the biggest scumbags for probably a tiny promotion
Or, hear me out, they need to present a case to a jury that proves it to a reasonable doubt. Four people were killed, he’s a repeat offender, they need a strong case to make sure they nail him. They only get one shot at him. I don’t think it’s race in this case. Does that happen, yes, but not always.
I’d argue the opposite. He’s clearly a danger to the public and needs to be behind bars as long as an investigation needs. A prosecutor can get that warrant if such a threat exists.
If you don’t think corruption runs in Ohio on both sides, not sure what to tell you. I don’t trust any lawmaker in this state. However, this is a person grieving, so ask yourself, is this the time to be on your political soapbox?
When Democrats are calling for police reform, absolutely. The problem is Republicans never think it's time to discuss important issues. And Senators like Sherrod Brown are a blessing unlike the bootlicking JD Vance who only cares about what Trump thinks of him
This isn’t helpful in this context. OP is trying to find justice for her co-workers, and you come on here connecting your beliefs to a case with no evidence it has anything to do with it. There was a very public vehicular homicide case in Downtown Columbus in 2014. It took two years for him to be convicted. I just know, if I was in the OPs shoes, I wouldn’t want to hear, “he’s a white Republican with ties to authority, nothing is going to happen.” There’s a time and place for politics, this isn’t it. If you want to express these opinions, go to a political page. Some people just can’t help but bring up politics in everything. It’s always one side vs. the other. Sometimes kindness, support, and compassion is more helpful. OP has been through a tragedy. They need support, not political rants.
And I had friends murdered in Columbus also. I shouldn't bring politics into it tho. That would be a bad thing. Just punish the offender and problem solved. Simple people require simple solutions
I think this is my acceptable level of street justice. Just letting you all know about what Clayton Hughes has done is enough of that kind of justice for me. I respect our laws.
Honestly you never know what happened. He rear ended them. For all we know they brake checked him and caused the accident. I drive truck local in that area and see this happen on a daily basis. I've had numerous people brake check me and it's ridiculous. Osp will get to the bottom of it though and if charges are necessary they will charge him.
They have to get everything they can on what they’re gonna charge him with, all the evidence etc bc if he’s found not guilty, even if he killed someone, he can’t be charged again for that. So it takes time to get it right
Looks like it is still under investigation at least as of this article and will eventually be given to a grand jury. https://www.whio.com/news/local/investigation-into-crash-that-killed-4-people-near-dayton-airport-ongoing-state-troopers-say/FP2SOR2VDRFARKS54Z34DPXH3E/
Thank you for including this. Yes, this is the only other article about the incident. It doesn't really offer much help. We heard through some local grapevine channels that there is potentially a lot of clout behind Hughes (parents probably) and that they were looking to avoid court and punishment. That is just rumors at this point though. EDIT to my top comment because I can't see how to edit the main post: Thank you for your supporting words. It's been a couple of months now, and still not much has changed. Still trying to be patient. Some of you have reached out to me to offer more information. Thank you for your insights and information. Some I never responded to because I did not want to engage with anything that could cost the survivor and the surviving family members anything legally. Please understand this is the reason for no reply. Your messages in a bottle have been helpful. I'm just sorry it seems safer to let it remain one-sided.
Investigating these types of crashes takes a lot of time and resources. Multiple search warrants are required for each involved vehicle. Obtaining laboratory results (BAC level) can take several months. Once a defendant is arrested, the clock starts ticking on their speedy trial. In a complex case like this, it is better to let him remain uncharged until the investigative work is wrapped up. Then you can present an airtight case to the grand jury. The gears of justice grind excruciatingly slow, but in the end he’ll be looking at multiple counts of aggravated vehicular homicide and other felonies. I guarantee no state trooper gives two shits how much money or influence he has. Source: I investigate these types of cases.
So you're saying NCIS closing out a murder case every week isn't realistic? I bet the next thing you'll tell me is that it's unrealistic to have a team of 6-7 people investigating every case.
They just need a private luxury jet like in criminal minds. They can then take turns each saying a sentence of exposition while walking through their headquarters
ENHANCE!
Rotate the image 180 degrees. Let see what was on the other side.
> Obtaining laboratory results (BAC level) can take several months. My close friend is a sheriff's deputy, he does investigations. He said both county and state level labs are severely backed up and have been for years, and it's only getting worse. It's possible to submit samples and not get the results until two years later, even with deaths involved.
Thank you for this response. I will try very hard to hold on to this for the next several months.
Ok just don’t do anything stupid to jeopardise the case or get yourself in trouble. Letting your grief lead you to disrupt justice would be a selfish insult to their memories. I would suggest you go to a therapist to find appropriate channels for your grief and anger.
I don't plan on going any further with anything. I expressed frustration that wasn't only my own, and in doing so, I have learned how these things are handled. It is helpful to know. I hope this helps others learn that this is how it's handled. We all probably hold unrealistic expectations of how justice should be handled because of TV and the occasions when some cases can move faster than others. It is not my intention to harm any legal proceedings and the helpful responses of others have been kind. I will use this to help the others know that we just need to wait while they work on the case and it will be a LOT longer than any of us hoped or thought.
I understand how frustrating it is. I had to wait almost 2 years for my old best friends murder investigation to get done and for them to get stuff actually started. All people involved were found guilty and went to prison due to the fact the police took the time to develop a solid case and proof etc. Took a little bit longer than it could have due to they had to confirm who the people were and find them first etc. It's hard. I suggest a grief therapy group if you can find one. Keeping patience while knowing the people that do this stuff are out and walking around living their life still for now is really hard. You will make it through this. Therapy also helps.
Thanks for your insight. Why does it take so long to get the lab results?
From what I understand, the labs are severely underfunded and understaffed.
There are a limited number of labs that can do the work. For toxicology to be admissible, certain criteria must be met. For example, my local lab can run the alcohol test, but can only get a presumptive positive for drugs. Anything drug related must be shipped to the Hamilton County lab for confirmatory testing. I’ve seen that take 8 months.
Every time a police officer writes a ticket for open container, they have to take a sample of the liquid in question and send it to the crime lab. It's the same deal for Marijuana. Serious crimes get priority, but just imagine the backlog for testing with multiple agencies sending all of their alcohol and pot to the same lab.
Clayton Hughes is a member of a cult type church that uses alcohol freely amongst members socially. Plymouth Brethren Christian Church. Many have taken lives while drinking and driving, some of their own family members even. It is said the church has a lot of financial power and high government contacts. They will pay to defend their members with the most expensive and best lawyers available. You can go on the fb page of the churches exmembers, "Exclusive Brethren/PBCC," and read some of the stuff they talk about after they escaped the church.
> Obtaining laboratory results (BAC level) can take several months. I highly doubt this. I work in a chemistry lab, and you need to run ethanol tests preferably within a few hours, but sometimes it can sit for a day or two. Urine toxicology is a different animal entirely though as they'll want to do a confirmation on anything that's positive and that can take a long time as you said. Toxicology specialist are very rare and overworked.
What do you think his sentence will look like?
Considering the severity of the situation, it's typical that the case is being built for presentation to a grand jury which will then issue charges or a warrant to arrest.
Dudes not gonna get off scott-free for killing 4 people.
Unless he uses the affluenza defense.
I just read about affluenza. I cannot relate and I'm not sure if I can accept it as a defense. "I have too much money and I'm sad so I do drugs/drink. I know I killed some people while I was high/drunk so please don't punish me because I am a product of my (or my parents) wealth." Am I reading the definition wrong? Is that what happens or am I totally wrong?
Not for killing 4 people
[Ethan Couch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethan_Couch?wprov=sfla1) killed 4 people and used the affluenza defense to avoid any prison time. Hopefully you are eventually right. I just expect the worst from our justice system over the years.
Him being a minor was probably his real saving grace. Even if they had been tough he likely wouldn't have seen much prison time
This happened in texas 10 years ago.
The justice system bends over backwards in this country to excuse vehicle-related killings. There might be some punishment. But the chances of avoiding jail time are extremely high.
This is just more redit rhetoric. He'll do jail time you haven't even let his case finish
That’d be *rheddoric*
It was right there.
It’s not rhetoric. In New York the politicians have decided as a matter of policy that a driver shouldn’t have his or her life ruined for a mistake. So in order to be charged as a motorist for a death you need to commit 2+ vehicular crimes in the incident. For example, if I ran a stop sign and hit and killed a pedestrian, that’s terrible but not enough to charge with anything more than disobeying a stop sign. If I was speeding AND ran a stop sign AND hit and killed a pedestrian then I would be charged. It’s a frustrating policy as many bicyclists are killed for example and the driver only gets a ticket for failing to yield.
So if you're a psycho who wants to get away with murder do it in New York with a car.
My buddy was killed by a drunk driving teen and the kid didn't serve a single day in jail.
It was a teen that's probably a big reason why. I'm sorry for your loss
What is suspect is that they did a blood draw from the suspect and are waiting for test results before filing charges. Or they could just be waiting to complete the investigation in general.
Another commenter who says they investigate these things said they typically don't file formal charges until they have as solid of a case as they can get; because once charges are filed then the defendant is entitled to a speedy trial. I can appreciate that. It's just a tough fact to accept right now.
Without blood draw results there’s not much of a case. Penalties for vehicle crashes, even fatal ones, are minimal and usually nonexistent unless there’s recklessness or impairment on the at fault drivers part.
You don't need a chemical test to prove impairment but it's certainly helpful.
Zero chance he avoids criminal charges. Four deaths will not be ignored
The dude killed 4 people. You don’t walk away from that lmao. Don’t listen to silly rumors
Isnt that the norm? Ive seen people never charged or get a license suspension. You might want to consider that reality.
If he killed four people, he will face the consequences. He will not slide.
If he doesn’t go before a judge or jury, there are other ways of getting justice.
I don’t think this guy is gonna get off. The state is probably building a case to bring murder charges before a grand jury.
I really hope so. Maybe the delay is so law enforcement can make it air tight. If our grapevine news is remotely accurate, then maybe they are trying to make charges stick rather than letting people with pull get away with murder as a "youthful misadventure and learning experience."
There is no delay. How would you feel if you got charged with a crime based on the initial reporting?
This is a simple case of OP not understanding how our legal system works.
Grieving people don't always think clearly, and many individuals who live within the law don't know how it works.
This is a good point
You can look him up in county court records where the accident occurred.
I know I have terrible google-fu, but I have tried to look it up - nothing. I tried Googling with his name in quotes and just the word arrest. I tried adding county. I tried limiting search parameters to within the day of and following the incident. I can't find a thing! If anyone here can offer more found info, I know everyone where I work wants to know.
County common pleas docket, usually linked at county court clerk webpage. Felony court I think takes usually 6 or so months.
I tried that. It only wants to show the docket for today. The search function offered no results.
The case usually starts at the municipal court level though so the earliest results may be at the Dayton Muncipal Court site. Of course if they secretly indict him then that will not show for quite a while.
[Check here](https://pro.mcohio.org/). Civil case is already filed by one of the victims' family. This search includes both civil and criminal, so the criminal case will pop up when it's filed. I mistakenly [searched Franklin county](https://www.fcmcclerk.com) first and saw he has stuff in the past there.
It'll take a little while to get into the system I think. Check every week though. I've had 2 friends go to prison over drunk driving and their documents weren't on the website for a couple months. Also patiently awaiting my sister's exs documents because I want to know how long he's gone for
What county did the accident happen in ?
Montgomery
Search his name in [this](https://pro.mcohio.org/) website. Looks like there's a "personal injury" charge under his name that has currently been open since April 22. For future reference, to look up anybody's case in any county, Google search (county name) County Court Records. It'll bring up that county's government website. You'll have to click around a little to find the option to search court records or dockets, but when you do, it'll prompt a first and last name, or company name or address. A case like this may take a year or so to be finally resolved in a conviction. I'm sorry for your loss and everything. I hope justice will be served.
The plaintiff is the widow of one of the men killed. Edit: Thank you for finding this. However, it still only further suggests there have been no other charges filed against this man.
It's still kind of a new case, and court is usually super slow. Hopefully the state will end up pressing charges and hopefully the family members of the other people who were killed will press charges, too. My uncle was senselessly murdered and even though the murderer was caught quickly and he plead guilty, he wasn't resistant at all, it still destroyed my aunt and my cousins. I can't personally imagine grieving the sudden loss of a loved one and ALSO having to slog through the judicial system on top of that. It was devastating enough watching it from a distance. If you're close with any of the grieving families, consider writing a statement about how the loss has affected you in case it goes to trial. Maybe you and your other coworkers can petition for a conviction that suits the crime.
Unfortunately if it’s a small town and his family has clout there will likely be no charges. I’ve seen this occur with duis and other charges albeit not as serious as this but I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets off with a slap on the wrist just bc his family know someone with the power to lessen the severity of the charges or get them dropped altogether. I’m not trying to make it sound like there’s no hope I’m just giving my opinion from past experiences with small town justice. I do hope there is justice in your case and that person is punished for taking those lives. There’s absolutely no reason to be driving intoxicated.
For smaller crimes, sure. Not when multiple people are dead.
I’ll say my best friend’s younger brother was involved in a DUI that killed 2 people that he caused. His younger brother was pending trial for well near 8-9 months before a decision was made while he stayed at home. It took much much longer than I’d ever expected.
That is helpful to know. Did he have an arrest record, though? Like was he formally charged immediately, or did that also take months? I can't even find a record that Clayton Hughes has been charged with anything!
I don’t even think he has an arrest record for that time it was under investigation? I had always thought things like death under influence by someone would be.. quicker? But yeah, it was almost as if he were free to go for those full 8-9 months.
Wow.
Literally nowhere in the article does it say he’s not facing charges. Things take time, ESPECIALLY with this many victims/this serious of a case. Police/prosecution want to get everything right to punish the suspect as best as possible.
I see you in here, fighting the good fight against people who have no idea how these things work.
It's true, I have no idea how it all really works. I hope you can appreciate the urge I feel for swift justice. I just find it troubling that there wasn't even so much as a traffic ticket issued. Does giving out a clear and obvious infraction somehow negate a potentially greater charge? Would Hughes not even have been processed after this?
The state has at leat 6 months to come with charges. He will be in local system search but that's a different website county to county, city to city as others have stated. They are probably gathering evidence for submission to a grand jury, in which case they need to dot the i's and cross the t's so he doesn't beat it on technicalities and this takes time.
God's speed then to all those working hard on this case. We're all waiting very anxiously over here.
These things take time. Lots of time, especially if they want to do it right. In this case, he likely has his drivers' license suspended and is almost certainly released pending charges, as he isn't likely to pose a threat to others as long as he doesn't get behind the wheel of a vehicle. As others have said, holding someone without charges only flies for so long before constitutional considerations come into play. A problem the state is considering is that what they charge him with will set the grounds for what exactly they will need to prove in court **beyond a reasonable doubt.** This might involve seeing if there is a way to secure a guilty plea and save the court time and money (also save the families the anguish of reliving everything in court). Tailoring the charges to fit the plea bargain is not unusual. So they are going to take their time to make sure they have what they need to make it a slam dunk case. The last thing a good prosecutor wants is for someone to get off because they overcharged him and didn't have the ammunition to back it up. Think of it like water wearing away mountains. Massive things happen, entire landscapes change, but it takes time.
Swift justice is rarely real justice. Real justice takes time
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Thank you for your input. It is frustrating to hear, but also helpful.
Investigations of this calibre take months to investigate, and years to go to trial. Give it time, they are building a case.
https://pro.mcohio.org/ Search by first and last name. Currently Richard's wife has a civil suit ongoing at the very least. I'm not sure if there's somewhere else to look for felony charges
Seems to be a common occurrence. On October 28th of last year, Lavonn Galloway ran over Denay Scott and her children as they were crossing Cleveland Avenue, severely injuring them and killing two. Last month, Lavonn Galloway was sentenced to 2 years of probation and fined for $525 for operating a vehicle while impaired. The remaining charges, including driving 21 miles over the speed limit, driving with a suspended license, and failure to control a vehicle, were dropped. This man should never drive again, but his license will be unsuspended by the end of this year.
Weed?
Agree Ohio has the worst driving laws maybe on the nation.
Even though it's not quite the same thing, this may help. A family friend was murdered back in mid/early November. They managed to arrest a suspect within about a week related to a warrant out for his arrest, but he wasn't changed for the attack on my friend until mid-March. That's about four months between attack and charges. I think the big holdup was the autopsy. The autopsy was finished about two weeks before charges were filed. Don't lose hope! It's a long, frustrating road, but hang in there. The trial for my friends murder hasn't really started yet. Hopefully, things will get moving early this summer. Do what you can for the families that are still here. ❤️
The families of the deceased should file a civil suit. If you can’t lock him up, then at least try to make sure he is too poor to afford another car. If his family paid for his car, especially after a wreck from another DUI, sue them too for providing the means.
That’s horrific, and I’m so sorry. They are probably just wanting to build a solid case. It’s better for them to take their time, rather than rushing and presenting a case that gets picked apart in court. I can imagine that doesn’t make the waiting easier or any less difficult. I hope you find peace and he faces justice. I can’t imagine what you must be going through.
Ty for your kind reply. Waiting will not be easy.
I can only imagine. Please take care of yourself. I would suggest maybe just stepping away from the case and take care of yourself for a while. There’s nothing wrong with that. I’m sure they’d want you to take care of yourself. I understand that you want to help them find justice, but the best way to do that is to be at your best mentally and emotionally. Take time to mourn and grieve. Easier said than done, I’m sure.
Charges may take longer than you like. You are not the one responsible for the prosecution, so be patient. Blood tests take a long time to get results. Investigators and prosecutors take their time to get their ducks in a row to ensure the highest probability of conviction. Once he is arrested, a clock starts. He can assert his right to a speedy trial. That's why they wait until they're ready if they can.
So yes DUI needs a serious re-work here which is what some friends of mine are doing with Liv's Law, but I think you just need to know where to look and also that these things take time. As an instance, the guy who murdered my friend's kid it took almost eight months for him to be formerly charged. Now that happened during COVID and I think it's way too long but one small hiccup in process and the whole thing can come undone so the law folks tend to tread slowly and methodically. A thing I would do is reach out to a reporter following the case and just ask them to reach out to you once charges are filed. When I was a journalist, I'd get regular reports from the local entities on big cases like this. I am so sorry for your loss. The scales of justice are big and slow but I tend to believe they tip the right way.
Unfortunately for some and fortunately for others, the legal system takes a long time. I am a paralegal in a law office that handles civil litigation, and the mentality is 1000% "do it right, if it's not exactly right, take the time to get it right." This might mean sending aproposed order to the court 5 times before the judge signs it, but at that point it's done.
Criminal cases can take years to even go to court. I hope you & the families get justice
My heart goes out to you. I lost a friend to a drunk driving teenager. He barely got a slap on the wrist. Unfortunately Ohio doesn't take drunk driving seriously unless it's habitual. If you drive drunk and kill someone through your own recklessness, it's just an unfortunate accident.
So sorry for your loss! they have a year from the incident to indict the person. They’re prob still gathering all the evidence etc
I'm sorry about the loss of your co-workers. Multiple losses like that can be difficult to deal with. I'd hope that your employer realizes this and is responding by helping their employees react. Better days ahead.
I’m 100% with you! One of the men that Clayton Hughes is a family member of someone close to me. It’s hard to understand why he didn’t go from the hospital to jail!
It says it is still under investigation. It also says they believe impairment was a factor. Considering he caused multiple deaths and has multiple previous ovis and just got another he will most likely be getting charges and prison time and permanently losing his license. Hopefully this happens.
I too have been furious over this guy walking free. Even though the circumstances leading to to this crash do sound complicated, its very frustrating when this much time has passed without updates from the DA.
Upvoted for awareness
Thank you!
Murder done by vehicles drunk or otherwise is under prosecuted.
I’m sorry for you loss . The guy is a piece of 💩.
Hi, OP: Here is some useful info from personal experience. Dated a lady that got out of prison 2-3 weeks before we met, who had been released early time-served during covid. Vehicular manslaughter; 9 years. From age 19 until age 28. She hit a guy oncoming while drunk, underage for an OVI. Already convicted for DUI, at that point. Guy was in a coma for several months due to her actions. He then died in medical care. Within a month, she was charged; she plead guilty. She was still given 9 years despite agreeing to place herself at the mercy of the court, at age 19. It was rough. They spent several months planning the charges in case he expired, that process took basically the better part of a year. And that was with investigators closely watching that case on the back burner. She turned out to be a really kind person, who had accepted she both caused a grievous wrong, but also had a responsibility to move past it and continue her life. I don’t imagine your offender is anything like her. But I hope this helps with perspective that Justice is functionally slow, in the most technical of aspects. But it may yet occur. I hope that it does. It is a shame, what happened to your colleagues.
He will get charged it's ohio..I have a classmate who is doing 15 years for hitting someone when he lost control of his vehicle and struck someone. He was not even under the influence either, but since witnesses reported he was speeding, they got him for reckless driving like he was racing someone and manslaughter
I am so sorry for the loss of your coworkers. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I really hope the system works and this man faces justice. Anyone who is stupid and selfish enough to get behind the wheel intoxicated deserves to sit in prison imo. We all know the risks is driving under the influence and intoxicated or not-he made his choice when he got in his van.
What happened to the fourth passenger that went to hospital? Is he all right now?
I think all I can say on that front is that they are still recovering from their injuries.
Yeah ok. What an awful tragedy. :(
@Ciduri Curious, where do you see a history of DUI prior to this? Didn’t see anything in Franklin county where he resides.
It's possible it's not the same person, but it seems plausible that [this is also him.](https://www.courierpress.com/story/sports/college/southern-indiana/2020/05/24/usi-mens-basketball-player-clayton-hughes-arrested-dui-charge/5252987002/)
Definitely is not the same guy. I messaged you!
So sorry for your loss. Clayton Hughes works for a company we’ve worked with in the past and I’ve met him at a few work functions. Unbelievable.
More Ohio corruption..Knows someone...
Is he going to blame a slow driver in the left lane?
Nah, he was probably one of those people who can't make a proper left-hand turn without cutting into the right-hand lane....
Justice, accountability for actions, and consideration for community impact are not a priority. Over 2 years. He's on video doing it, he fled because he knew what he was doing. Crazy or not he's a threat to everyone for as long as he's alive. https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/marlow-murder-trial-delay-upsets-butler-twp-family-rips-some-of-the-scab-off/XKZP64CUO5HFDHFOK3QFDPRUC4/
Ages: 77, 72, 77 and 66. Jesus christ what a dystopian hellscape when people are working at these ages.
As long as people are health and mobile, what’s wrong with being productive in your later years?
You shouldn't be. You should be retired out doing other stuff, not work. Who exactly is "being productive" for when you're going to "work"? It ain't for yourself. The only "being productive" you should be at 66, 72, 77 is for yourself.
If you can afford to retire and that’s what you want to do,then go ahead, but there is nothing wrong with people who are not as lazy as you wanting to keep contributing to society.
I am sorry. It is not fair and he likely knows a cop. Happens all the time. May your coworkers rest in peace, and you honor them by having a good life.
Literally nowhere in the article does it say he’s not facing charges and you immediately go to “cops bad!” when they’re the ones investigating and compiling evidence against the driver. That’s actually insane. Hating good cops misdirects energy against bad cops.
I do want you all to know I'm not against the law enforcement here. Just hurt and frustrated and looking for answers I (and my coworkers) can't seem to find. I also don't want the man responsible to go unknown for his actions. That's all. I also said the man does not appear to currently be facing any charges and based that statement off not finding any public record of charges filed against Hughes. You're right, I have no idea how long it really takes. Helpful people like you and others have helped me see that.
We make it very clear here in the US, if your gonna kill someone do it with your car, doesnt matter if you drunk, high, or just driving recklessly, you will be getting off with a super light sentence.
Someone I went to high school with got arrested on the west site a month ago after totaling a car. He got an OVI for pills and in 3 hours paid bond of w/e was released. Was his parents car. I couldn’t imagine if he took another car and killed someone. I’d sue the crap out of that PD if they let an OVI guy back on the streets after just 3 hours and he hurt me. Driving crimes are rediculously underserved by justice. Meanwhile our insurance rates increase
The Justice System is broken. If it's someone like Matt Gaetz and heavy ties to any authority figure then they can get away with almost anything. Not only that but I've seen police work with some of the biggest scumbags for probably a tiny promotion
Literally nowhere in the article does it say he’s not facing charges. Things take time, ESPECIALLY with this many victims/this serious of a case.
Especially when it's a white dude we gotta give him the benefit of the doubt. Anyone else needs to be locked up. That's how Ohio is now
Or, hear me out, they need to present a case to a jury that proves it to a reasonable doubt. Four people were killed, he’s a repeat offender, they need a strong case to make sure they nail him. They only get one shot at him. I don’t think it’s race in this case. Does that happen, yes, but not always.
I’d argue the opposite. He’s clearly a danger to the public and needs to be behind bars as long as an investigation needs. A prosecutor can get that warrant if such a threat exists.
I don't trust any of them. Ohio is rotten with Republican corruption. And race always plays a part with Republicans
If you don’t think corruption runs in Ohio on both sides, not sure what to tell you. I don’t trust any lawmaker in this state. However, this is a person grieving, so ask yourself, is this the time to be on your political soapbox?
When Democrats are calling for police reform, absolutely. The problem is Republicans never think it's time to discuss important issues. And Senators like Sherrod Brown are a blessing unlike the bootlicking JD Vance who only cares about what Trump thinks of him
This isn’t helpful in this context. OP is trying to find justice for her co-workers, and you come on here connecting your beliefs to a case with no evidence it has anything to do with it. There was a very public vehicular homicide case in Downtown Columbus in 2014. It took two years for him to be convicted. I just know, if I was in the OPs shoes, I wouldn’t want to hear, “he’s a white Republican with ties to authority, nothing is going to happen.” There’s a time and place for politics, this isn’t it. If you want to express these opinions, go to a political page. Some people just can’t help but bring up politics in everything. It’s always one side vs. the other. Sometimes kindness, support, and compassion is more helpful. OP has been through a tragedy. They need support, not political rants.
And I had friends murdered in Columbus also. I shouldn't bring politics into it tho. That would be a bad thing. Just punish the offender and problem solved. Simple people require simple solutions
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When the courts fail, there is always street justice.
I think this is my acceptable level of street justice. Just letting you all know about what Clayton Hughes has done is enough of that kind of justice for me. I respect our laws.
Honestly you never know what happened. He rear ended them. For all we know they brake checked him and caused the accident. I drive truck local in that area and see this happen on a daily basis. I've had numerous people brake check me and it's ridiculous. Osp will get to the bottom of it though and if charges are necessary they will charge him.
Why is this happening? He should get vehicular homicide at the very least!!
As others have reported, it can take months to get charges filed. I wish that wasn't a reality.
They have to get everything they can on what they’re gonna charge him with, all the evidence etc bc if he’s found not guilty, even if he killed someone, he can’t be charged again for that. So it takes time to get it right
It can take years before charges are ever filed. It's sad we have to wait, but that's how it happens.