The driver involved in a double fatal crash on I-75 near Cygnet Sunday (April 3) was indicted on 12 charges Wednesday (April 6).
Wood County Prosecuting Attorney Paul Dobson announced today (April 7) that the Wood County Grand Jury handed down a 12-count indictment against Nicholas Luderman, 24, of Napoleon, for his alleged involvement in the crash that killed two people and sent several others to the hospital.
It is alleged that Luderman was traveling southbound on I-75 in Henry Township when his car struck another southbound vehicle.
[RELATED: Two killed in fiery crash on I-75 south of BG]
The Ohio State Highway Patrol’s statement that a silver 2018 Chevy Malibu driven by Luderman was traveling southbound and struck a black 2003 Dodge Dakota in the rear. The Dodge then traveled across the center median and struck at least two vehicles in the northbound lane.
Other vehicles in the area sustained damage as a result of debris, and both the Dodge Dakota and a red Jeep Grand Cherokee became engulfed in flames. The driver of the Dodge, Andrew Jones, 19, Findlay, and the driver of the Jeep, Kassidi Krzykwa, 23, Kalamazoo, Michigan, both died at the scene.
Several other vehicles were damaged by debris and several individuals were sent to area hospitals, some with serious or life-threatening injuries.
It is alleged that Luderman left the scene of the accident in his vehicle and, while fleeing, struck a parked car in Cygnet.
He was eventually apprehended by North Baltimore Police.
Luderman has been charged with two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and four counts of Aggravated Vehicular Assault, all alleging that he caused either death or serious physical harm to others as a result of driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. It is alleged that Luderman has two prior convictions for operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
He is further charged with the felonies of Tampering with Evidence and three counts of Failure to Stop After Collision Involving Injury. He is also charged with misdemeanor OVI and misdemeanor Failure to Stop After Collision Involving Injury.
The homicide charges are felonies of the second degree and carry mandatory prison sentences of up to eight years each. The assault charges are considered high-tier felonies of the third degree and carry a maximum penalty of five years prison each.
Tampering with Evidence is a low-tier third degree felony, as is one of the Failure to Stop charges. They carry maximum penalties of three years each. The other Failure to Stop felonies are fourth and fifth degree felonies. They carry maximum penalties of 18 months and one year, respectively.
The misdemeanors are of the first degree and carry penalties of local jail time.
By statute, those sentences cannot be served separately from the felony prison sentences, should he be convicted of both. If convicted of all charges, Luderman would face a maximum penalty of 43. 5 to 47.5 years.
Luderman is currently being held in the Wood County Justice Center on $500,000 bond. His case has been assigned to the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Joel
Kuhlman.
“We offer our most sincere condolences to the families of those lost in this incident,” Dobson said. “The State Highway Patrol and my office continue to monitor the condition of those still in the hospital and continue to hope that they will fully recover. We intend to get to the bottom of the truth about this senseless loss of life and bring justice for those gone and those so seriously injured.”
