Mom indicted in twins’ deaths in vehicle crash

11/22/2013

BOWLING GREEN — Charges of aggravated vehicular homicide were filed Thursday in Wood County Common Pleas Court against an Ida, Mich., woman whose 6-week-old twins died in a crash and against a Woodville man who allegedly struck a CSX employee in a work area.

Lori Massingill, 28, was indicted by a Wood County grand jury on two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide stemming from a Nov. 12 crash that killed her infant daughter, Presley, and Presley's twin brother, Parker. She also was indicted on one count of endangering children for “her behavior with the children prior to the accident,” said Gwen Howe-Gebers, chief assistant Wood County prosecutor.

Ms. Howe-Gebers declined to be more specific about Ms. Massingill’s alleged behavior, and she said both infants were restrained in car seats at the time of the crash.

Ms. Massingill was northbound on Fostoria Road just south of State Rt. 163 in Troy Township about 11 a.m. when she drove over a set of railroad tracks and her car went airborne and out of control. State troopers said the car went off the right side of the road, traveled back onto the road and to the left side before striking a ditch and rolling twice.

Young Presley was pronounced dead at Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center, while young Parker died two days later at University of Michigan Health System in Ann Arbor.

Both counts of aggravated vehicular homicide allege Ms. Massingill acted “recklessly” in the children’s deaths.

“It’s still very early in the investigation,” Ms. Howe-Gebers said when asked about speed and other factors that might constitute recklessness.

Also Thursday, Cody Rickard, 26, was indicted for murder and two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide for the Nov. 12 death of Paul Castle, 34, of Paintsville, Ky.

Mr. Castle was critically injured Oct. 28 when Mr. Rickard allegedly drove a car through two sets of barricades blocking Bradner Road just south of Bradner. Mr. Castle and two other CSX workers — Luis Knott III, 58, of Banner, Ky., and Jim Conley, 58, of Findlay — were struck by the car.

Mr. Knott and Mr. Conley were treated for their injuries, while Mr. Castle died at St. Vincent’s two weeks after the crash.

Mr. Rickard was indicted earlier this month on two counts each of vehicular assault and felonious assault for the injuries to Mr. Knott and Mr. Conley. He is being held in the Wood County jail on $150,000 bond.

Both Ms. Massingill and Mr. Rickard are scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday before Wood County Common Pleas Judge Alan Mayberry.