Struthers man facing homicide charges in double fatal crash near New Middletown
YOUNGSTOWN — Walter A. Bolt, 65, of Struthers, was indicted Thursday on aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault and drunken driving in the March 3 crash that killed a woman and her son in Springfield Township.
If Bolt were to be convicted of both aggravated vehicular homicide charges, he could get about 16 years in prison. The aggravated vehicular assault could result in several years in prison if convicted.
The charges resulted after Bolt crossed the centerline on state Route 170 just north of New Middletown and crashed his pickup truck head-on into a vehicle driven by Angela Brown, 44, of New Middletown.
She was killed, as was her 15-year-old son, Jason Connor Daff, who was a passenger. Brown’s 12-year-old son survived the 7:30 p.m. crash but was in critical condition later.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol, which investigated the crash, stated in a press release that Bolt sustained serious injuries. Brown died at the scene, but both of her sons were taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital. Bolt also was taken to St. Elizabeth’s.
The release states that Bolt’s Chevy Colorado was heading south on Route 170 and Brown’s Accord was traveling north when Bolt struck Brown’s car and overturned it, causing her Honda to come to rest in the ditch on the east side of the road. The Colorado came to a stop partially off the road.
Angela “Angie” Brown graduated from Struthers High School / Mahoning County Joint Vocational School in 1998, according to her obituary. Jason Daff was a freshman at Springfield Local High School.
A blood test done on Bolt indicated he had a blood-alcohol level of .215, according to an Ohio State Highway Patrol crash report. That is more than twice the legal limit to drive in Ohio of 0.08.