First Vehicular Homicide While Texting Case Convicted In Franklin County

Posted on 6/11/2012

Defendant: Daniel Jacobs Plea

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced the first Franklin County conviction in an Aggravated Vehicular Homicide while texting case against Daniel R. Jacobs, age 56, in the death of Dalton Ludwig, age 16, in connection with the crash that occurred on Interstate 270 near U.S. Route 33 on July 1, 2010, at approximately 6:00 pm. Ludwig suffered life-threatening injuries, was flown to Grant Medical Center, but passed away later that evening. Also in the vehicle with Ludwig was Floyd Evans, age 62, who was also transported and admitted to Grant Medical Center and treated for numerous serious injuries. At the time of the crash, Floyd Evans was Dalton Ludwig’s driving instructor. They were in the middle of a driving lesson and had pulled onto the shoulder of the freeway. Today, Daniel Jacobs pled guilty to one F-3 count of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide that was premised on texting when he failed to control his car, changed lanes without safety, and ran off the roadway striking the victims in the vehicle stopped on the shoulder of the roadway. Jacobs will be sentenced on August 9, 2012.