Vehicular homicide charges filed
By Jane Beathard
Staff Writer
Tri County JailTimothy Ackley
Magistrate David Owens appointed Josh Beasley to represent Timothy S. Ackley, 32, 1090 Oxley Drive, at a preliminary hearing set for 9 a.m. on Friday, April 13. Owens ordered Ackley held in Tri-County Regional Jail under $200,000 bond.
Aggravated vehicular homicide is a third-degree felony punishable by up to five years in prison and $10,000 in fines.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ackley was traveling westbound on state Route 142 about 3 p.m. in a 2003 Chevrolet Z71 pick-up when he lost control of the truck near the Gregg Road intersection and went left of center, striking an eastbound 1999 Suzuki Intruder motorcycle head-on.
Mark S. Williams, 56, 133 Hathaway Road, the driver of the motorcycle, and Williams’ wife, Jo Ann, 51, his passenger, were hurled into a nearby ditch by the impact. County coroner James Kaehr, M.D., pronounced both dead at the scene.
Ackley, who was allegedly driving drunk at the time of the crash, refused treatment and was jailed, pending Monday’s court appearance.
Trooper Shane Meddock reported Ackley failed a field sobriety test and later refused a breath test. He was belligerent and rude to investigators and witnesses at the scene, insisting that Williams’ motorcycle was traveling in the westbound lane.
“At times, Ackley laughed about what had happened and stated that the accident was not his fault,” Meddock reported.
Three Williams family members, as well as Ackley’s mother and wife, attended Monday’s emotional arraignment. Denver Mathews, Mrs. Williams’ brother, said his sister and brother-in-law were active in Bikers For Christ and were returning home from an Easter-season baptism at Madison Lake at the time of the crash.
Mathews found it a cruel twist of fate that his sister was a long-time nurse at Maryhaven, a Columbus drug and alcohol treatment facility, and was devoted to caring for those with substance abuse problems. Ironically, Mathews said his father (Mrs. Williams’ stepfather) was killed by a drunk driver in a 1967 motorcycle accident.
Ackley voiced regret as he faced Mathews and other grieving family members on Monday.
“I’m very sorry,” he said. “But I know that don’t cut it.”
The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Williams were taken to the Montgomery County morgue for autopsies.
Troopers continue to investigate circumstances surrounding the crash.
Additional charges against Ackley are pending the results of that investigation, according to Assistant Madison County Prosecutor Eamon Costello.
I have all the facts straight. I have Ackley’s entire criminal record, all 30 pages of it. I will even post it if it would make you feel better. As far as the definition of the Watson murder statute I pulled it directly from the California statute site. Not my interpretation, their exact words. I am not making rage statements, I am telling the whole honest truth. What I am fighting for is justice not revenge. I am the one who made the website, I can’t account for any of our families comments, but everything on my site is accurate.
I don’t know your family but have a deep heart sympathy for all of you. This doesn’t feel very fair to you and hurts deep, I know. Do know that God is very nearby and is among you even closer at your time of loss. HE IS just know this. The HOLY lives they led is not in vain I assure you of that. Please know this and may you grab the hem of his garment hold on and don’t let go. May God bless your family and heal your broken hearts. Jesus is coming soon! Peace be unto you all.
Please visit Mark and Joann’s website for more information and to help us demand stricter charges for Ackley.
http://williamsremembrance.webs.com/
Really a 5 year prison term? This is completely unacceptable! I agree completely with Daphne and Kirk. How could you laugh about taking the lives of two innocent people? There should be more severe punishment and he needs to be charged with murder!
Cold Blooded Murderer! He loaded the gun when he chose to get behind the wheel! No consideration for life….He deserves life in prison!!! So sorry for your loss…
I can agree that there has to be a stiffer sentence. I lost two family members to a drunk driven and feel your pain. I have read your guys comments and seen the website very sorry for your loss. There are a lot of inaccurate terms and information on these blogs and website. First off learn the true definition of murder and what a jury needs to get a conviction ,the second would be have all the facts correct about Timothy Ackley so people cam stand behind you with the correct information. We know your angry but it does not help anyone who is trying to get stinger punishment for crimes like these when you are giving half truth info about his past. Do a little more research and you can have a stronger case and following with the full truth and not rage statements.
Here are the facts behind Ackley, all public record, all you have to do is look
http://thetruthackley.webs.com/
How is it possible that this charge only carries up to five years in prison? Why does this POS get to have a chance to have his life back, when he stole two lives from us? There is no way to replace what has been taken from our family, And no punishment too severe for the man who committed this heinous crime. May God have mercy on him, for I would not.