The prosecution released new details in the case against a former Austintown truck driver accused of crashing his rig and killing three Marine recruits in March.
Trumbull County prosecutors filed a memorandum with the court in support of Donald Williams's $250,000 bond. They said Williams was driving at an excessive speed and toxicology reports show he had diazepam in his body.
Dr. Michael Sevilla said diazepam is the generic name for Valium. Sevilla said Valium is prescribed by physicians for anxiety and panic attacks. It is also bought and sold illegally to "get high" the same manner alcohol and pain killers are used to get high, he added.
Prosecutors said Williams was fired from his job April 7 after a drug screen came back positive for marijuana.
Wednesday's bond hearing was continued until Tuesday. Judge Wyatt McKay recused himself from the case because he knew relatives of one of the victim's of the crash.
Killed in the March 31 accident were Zachery A. Nolen, 19, of Newton Falls; Joshua A. Sherbourne, 21, of Southington; and Michael T. Theodore Jr., 19, of Warren. Station archives indicate that at least one dozen people in all were involved in the accident, which happened about 3:45 p.m. on State Route 5 near Burnett Road.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Sgt. Charles Keene was driving a Pontiac G6 with front seat passenger and recruit Carl McDermott III of Masury. Nolan, Sherbourne and Theodore were sitting in the back seat.
Just as Keene went to drive through the intersection of State Route 5 and Burnett Road, a tractor trailer driven by Williams crashed into them from behind. The G6 was then forced into the intersection from the impact, spun around and was hit several times by several other vehicles, said police.
Investigators said one victim died at the scene, another at Forum Health Trumbull Memorial Hospital and the third at St. Elizabeth Health Center. Keene, a Marine recruiter, was taking the four men to Cleveland to sign final papers for enlistment in the Marines.
