By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
A Cincinnati man involved in an accident that killed a Latonia child in October has been indicted on one count of Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Wreck.
Wells
A Kenton County Grand Jury indicted Christopher Wayne Wells Thursday on the Class D felony, which carries a sentence of 1 to 5 years in prison upon conviction.
Eli Kindt, 6, was riding his bicycle on E. 32nd Street in Latonia on October 6, when he was struck and killed by a truck Wells was driving.
Kenton Commonwealth Attorney Rob Sanders said the charges are appropriate based on the information he has at this time.
“I can say that if the accident reconstruction had revealed that Mr. Wells was responsible for causing the collision with the child and his bicycle there would most likely be some kind of homicide charge,” Sanders said. “Not necessarily murder, but manslaughter second degree or reckless homicide would have been an option.”
While Sanders did not want to provide details of the case, witness accounts indicate Kindt’s bicycle slid under the truck and he was struck and killed.
There has been speculation that Wells was being threatened and left the scene, then called police to report the accident. Sanders said, however, that a part of leaving the scene of an accident (charge) is not summoning emergency assistance.
“If we believed that Mr. Wells had called 911 or otherwise requested assistance for the child, we wouldn’t have presented the case to the grand jury,” Sanders said.
The Commonwealth Attorney’s office has not received the toxicology report on Wells and Sanders said there could be additional charges, depending on those results.
“It’s possible there could be other charges in the future when we get that back, however, the delay in the state crime lab is outrageously long, mostly due to underfunding, “ Sanders said. “I don’t want to speculate on what those charges might be without knowing what those lab results might show.”
Sanders said Kindt’s family was understandably extremely upset immediately after the accident, but has not spoken with them since the grand jury returned the indictment.
Wells was released from the Kenton County Detention Center on October 19, after posting a $7,500 cash bond. He is scheduled to appear for arraignment before Kenton Circuit Judge Gregory Bartlett January 3, at 9:30 a.m. in Courtroom 7A.
Contact Mark Hansel at mark.hansel@nkytrib.com
