Man charged in 16-year-old’s death
A Claysville man was charged Tuesday by state police with involuntary manslaughter in the July 30, 2013, crash that killed a 16-year-old girl in Independence Township.
Charles Lester Cole III, 22, of 783 Old National Pike, is also charged with four counts each of reckless endangerment and furnishing alcohol to minors and three counts of corruption of minors.
Sierra Minor of Morris Township was pronounced dead at the scene after the car she was driving crashed into a tree along Brush Run Road about a mile from the West Virginia state line just before midnight. Cole, Cody Jenkins, 19, of Washington, and two 15-year-old girls who were passengers in the car were injured. Police said none of the five was wearing a seat belt.
Minor was driving east when she lost control of the car on a sharp left curve. The car went off the road, struck a tree and flipped once before landing on its wheels next to the tree. She was pronounced dead at the scene of multiple injuries. Washington County Coroner Tim Warco ruled her death an accident.
Trooper Thomas Schuster, in court documents filed at the office of District Judge Ethan Ward, indicated the five traveled across the state line into West Virginia to an area known as the German Beer Garden. Cole reportedly purchased alcohol at a Washington six-pack shop before the group headed for West Virginia.
The group reportedly stayed there for several hours, where they drank and swam. They decided to return home about 10:30 p.m. Minor, according to the affidavit of probable cause, reportedly asked Cole if she could drive his vehicle on the return trip. There also was allegedly a discussion about her being too intoxicated to drive. Cole reportedly allowed her to drive, as indicated in court documents.
The charges, which are misdemeanors, were sent by summons from Ward’s office. A preliminary hearing is set for Oct. 28 before Ward.