Driver involved in deadly I-270 crash charged with vehicular manslaughter
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – A woman who was driving a passenger van on Interstate 270 West on the city’s south side in July has been charged with vehicular manslaughter in connection with a fatal and fiery crash.
According to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, the crash happened July 25 in Jackson Township on I-270 westbound just east of Interstate 71 at approximately 3:26 p.m.
The sheriff’s office said a 2022 Freightliner Semi-tractor trailer was driving west on I-270 when it started to slow down for traffic. A 2000 GMC Savana van was also driving west on I-270 directly behind the semi-truck and failed to keep a clear distance before it hit the trailer. The van then burst into flames.
Two people were rescued out of the van, but a third was trapped inside. The driver, Jessica Bott, and a juvenile passenger were taken to local hospitals for treatment, but the third, later identified as 79-year-old Karen Gearhart, was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
An investigation resulted in an arrest warrant for Bott, 40, on Oct. 23 and she was placed in custody Tuesday. On Wednesday, Bott was released on her own recognizance and a Franklin County Municipal judge did not immediately assign a future court date.