YOUNGSTOWN — Robert L. Weaver III, 36, of South Turner Road in Canfield, pleaded not guilty Tuesday during arraignment to aggravated vehicular assault for an Aug. 13, 2020, head-on crash.

Weaver, a passenger in his sport utility vehicle and the driver of another car were badly injured when Weaver crashed into the other vehicle after crossing over the center concrete divider on U.S. Route 422 in the city, hitting the car coming the other direction, according to a police report.

The crash occurred a short time after a Coitsville Township police officer ended a high-speed chase. The Ohio State Highway Patrol handled the crash investigation because Youngstown police refused to do it.

Magistrate Dominic DeLaurentis of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court has allowed Weaver to remain free on a personal recognizance bond, meaning he did not have to pay anything.

The crash report by the highway patrol stated that Kimberly Jackson, 44, of Youngstown, driver of the other vehicle, suffered two broken legs, one broken knee, a shattered pelvis and a broken hip and her vehicle was destroyed. The damage was described as being the “entire front end,” windshield and driver side front and rear doors.

Weaver also suffered two broken legs, and his passenger, Dionandre D. Etheridge, 38, of Youngstown, suffered one broken leg and multiple lacerations. The damage to the rental car Weaver was driving was similar to that of Jackson’s car, the patrol said.

WHAT HAPPENED

The crash took place at 11:43 p.m., a short time after Coitsville Township police officer Ryan Young ended a chase of Weaver’s vehicle because of high speed, estimated at being more than 100 miles per hour, the highway patrol stated.

The highway patrol report states that Young chased Weaver for nearly a mile. The chase lasted 35 seconds. Young cut off the case while on U.S. Route 422 at Courtland Avenue. Young began the chase at Route 422 at Jacobs Road after observing Weaver traveling left of center and suspecting that Weaver was intoxicated, the patrol stated.

The crash occurred on Route 422 near the ESA Park Apartments, which is about a half mile from Courtland Avenue. A Youngstown police officer later criticized Young for the chase.

The highway patrol said it investigated the crash because of the Youngstown Police Department refusing to handle it. The crash was in the city, not Coitsville Township. Young handled the filing of the criminal charges in the case.

Weaver earlier pleaded guilty in Campbell Municipal Court to drunken driving, drug possession and speeding 106 mph in a 35 mph zone. The highway patrol crash report does not indicate how fast Weaver was driving at the time of the crash.

When a trooper with the highway patrol asked Weaver what happened, he said he had left a bar and the police tried to “stop me for no reason, and I was mad.” He estimated he was driving about 80 mph.

Weaver said he crossed over into the oncoming traffic because he was going too fast. He admitted he had been drinking earlier and had been smoking marijuana. He said he was driving his friend’s car.

Jackson told police she was on her way home from work at the time of the crash. When asked what she saw, she said, “A car with really bright lights and going really fast.” She said she was driving 35 mph.

Weaver was indicted last month. If convicted, he could get about three years in prison.

Jackson filed suit in common pleas court against Weaver last September, alleging that she incurred medical and other expenses and sustained permanent physical damage, pain and suffering as a result of the crash.

She seeks compensatory damages of about $344,000 for medical expenses and $500,000 for pain and suffering. A trial is set for 9 a.m. Nov. 9 and a mediation conference is set for Sept. 17.

The criminal and civil cases are both assigned to Judge Maureen Sweeney.