Lawyer describes Moeller student's death in October crash as 'unintentional incident'

A 29-year-old man arrested following an October traffic incident that resulted in the death of a Moeller High School student will not face vehicular homicide charges. Jehoshua Spence has been indicted for failing to stop after an accident and driving with a suspended license. A Hamilton County grand jury chose not to pursue aggravated vehicular homicide charges against him. The reasons for this decision have not been publicly explained, and the prosecutor's office declined to comment on the indictment.

Fifteen-year-old Dylan Straughn, a Moeller High School sophomore, was riding his bicycle on the night of October 5 in Colerain Township when he was struck by Spence's vehicle. At Spence's December 3 arraignment in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court, Assistant Prosecutor Melinda Rinehart stated that according to Spence, the collision occurred around 10:30 p.m. Spence told police he initially thought he had hit a deer and drove home. Dylan was later discovered by another driver at 1 a.m., and Spence turned himself in the following day. Authorities reported that Spence cooperated fully, and there are currently no claims that he was under the influence during the incident.

"My investigation indicates that this was caused by the negligent operation of a bicycle on a dark street," said Spences attorney, Clyde Bennett II. "This is an accident case."

Spence was booked into the Hamilton County Justice Center on December 1, and his bond was set at $10,000 during the arraignment on December 3.

Dylan Straughns father, Paul Straughn, described his son as "the best son, brother, cousin, friend, mentor." Dylan is survived by his sisters, Kylie and Cassidy. Paul Straughn recalled Dylans playful spirit, saying he could lighten any situation with a smile and had the courage to befriend anyone and try new things.

Dylan had a strong interest in volleyball and music. He played trombone in the school band, was part of an improv group, and was learning guitar. After the loss of his mother in 2017, Dylan became involved in a youth suicide prevention group to support peers experiencing grief. He also joined a grief support group after starting at Archbishop Moeller High School, hoping to help others navigate difficult experiences.

Author: Olivia Parker