TRENTON, Ohio — A Trenton man has been indicted in a January crash that killed a Waynesville man and seriously injured his wife.
Richard Latino, 36, of the 900 block of Pom Court, is facing one count of aggravated vehicular homicide, a third-degree felony, and vehicular assault, a fourth-degree felony, for the Jan. 18 crash in Lemon Twp., according to court records.
Lonnie D. Schear, 70, died in the crash, which occurred about 5:30 p.m. on Oxford State Road near Radabaugh Road. His wife, Connie Schear, 69, was injured and taken by medical helicopter to Miami Valley Hospital in Dayton.
The indictment accuses Latino of recklessly operating his vehicle and causing the crash.
Schear, of West Ellis Drive in Waynesville, was a longtime Lebanon Citizens National Bank employee and was a local leader involved in community events including the Ohio Sauerkraut Festival.
“Lonnie was pretty much Mr. Waynesville,” Eric Meilstrup, bank president of what is now known as LCNB Bank, said in January.
According to the sheriff’s office preliminary report, Latino’s vehicle went left of center while traveling east on Ohio 73 (Oxford State) and collided head-on into Schear’s vehicle, which was westbound on Oxford State.
Schear’s vehicle spun sideways and was struck by a third westbound vehicle.
Latino was also injured and taken by medical helicopter to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for treatment.
The case has been assigned to Butler County Common Pleas Judge Keith Spaeth. An arraignment date had not been set as of Wednesday.
