Prosecutor mulls charges in crash tied to flying bra

Jeff Long, left, and James Campbell are recovering from injuries they suffered when their car crashed Sept. 26 on I-75.

Any possible charges against the 17-year-old girls who hung a red bra out of a car on I-75 on Sept. 26, causing a single-car accident that hurt two men, would be filed next week, a Wood County Juvenile Court prosecutor said yesterday.

James Campbell, 37, and Jeff Long, 40, both of Toledo, were hurt seriously when Mr. Campbell's car swerved to avoid the bra as it flew away from the girls' car. Mr. Campbell's car flipped several times in the median of the interstate, north of State Rt. 582.

Prosecutor Tim Adkins said he received the crash report from the Walbridge post of the Ohio Highway Patrol on Tuesday.

Mr. Adkins said he is looking at an array of possible charges, specifically against the driver of the girls' car and the girl who put her bra outside the window.

Mr. Adkins said the braless girl could face charges of disorderly conduct and littering.

The driver could be charged with complicity and with fleeing the scene of an accident.

"We have to look at what [the driver's] involvement was," Mr. Adkins said. "Was she encouraging the behavior and aware of what was going on? Did she know an accident occurred? If so, those would be charges directly against her."

Mr. Adkins said the report included indications that the car's three passengers may have flashed Mr. Campbell and Mr. Long, though both men said the girls only made inappropriate gestures with their mouths.

The prosecutor said charges of indecent exposure would be filed only if he could prove the girls exposed significant amounts of flesh in traffic.

Mr. Adkins said he believes if any charges are filed against the girls, they likely would be misdemeanor offenses.

Mr. Campbell, who suffered a broken vertebra in his neck and a fractured thumb, was cited for not wearing a seat belt and for failure to maintain control of his vehicle.

Mr. Long, who suffered two broken ribs and was held in St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center for possible liver injuries, said the two men are considering a civil suit against the girls.

"I've at least got to get my bills paid," Mr. Long said. "I'm not going to pay for something I didn't do."

Mr. Long said the insurance company representing the female driver accused the men of swerving to catch the bra in flight and of encouraging the girls to take their shirts off.

Mr. Long denied such claims the day after the accident and stood by his story yesterday.

"We have a picture of the window being closed, so that blows their theory right out the window," Mr. Long said. "Jimmy didn't even know what was going on in their car."

Mr. Campbell declined comment yesterday.

Mr. Adkins said the circumstances of any interaction between the two men and four girls would come into play in a civil suit.

"What I'm looking at primarily is if the girls committed delinquent acts or a traffic offense," Mr. Adkins said.

Contact Joe Vardon at:

jvardon@theblade.com

or 419-410-5055.