Man charged in fatal crash waives hearing

An Akron man who has been charged in the Eastlake crash that left a girl dead waived his rights to a preliminary hearing.

A 26-year-old Akron man who has been charged in the Eastlake crash that left a 17-yearold girl dead waived his rights to a preliminary hearing June 12.

Eric Dean Jones was scheduled for the hearing on one count of first-degree felony aggravated vehicular homicide, one misdemeanor count of OVI and one misdemeanor count of failure to control before Willoughby Municipal Court Judge Marisa L. Cornachio.

Jones’ case will be bound over to the Lake County grand jury.

On June 5, Eastlake Police responded to the scene of the crash on Vine Street near East 337th Street.

Police said Jones drove off the right side of the road and struck the female with the work truck. The vehicle then continued and crashed into a pole at the southwest corner of the intersection.

The teen, identified as Maddisan Chase, was transported to Lake Health’s West Medical Center in Willoughby. She was pronounced dead at the hospital, police said.

Jones has a prior criminal record, currently is on probation and was previously incarcerated, Cornachio confirmed.

Due to Jones’ prior criminal history and the seriousness of the offense, Cornachio continued his $500,000 bond.