Guilty verdicts in vehicular homicide case

LISBON — A Conneaut man faces a long prison term after being found guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide and other charges.

John Gamble, an assistant Columbiana County prosecutor, said Friday that Christopher Morris, 31, was driving under the influence at the time of the crash on June 16, 2006. A jury returned the verdict late Thursday.

Morris ran away but was taken into custody while he was walking north on state Route 11 in Fairfield Township, where the crash occurred.

Gamble said Morris was working in southern Ohio for a painting company and had stopped at the Jamboree in the Hills, a music festival, while returning to his home. Morris refused to take any alcohol tests.

He was driving a large commercial truck that struck the rear of a van that went off the left side of the route and overturned. His truck also went off the left side of the road.

Samuel A. Macke, 17, of Toledo, was killed. His sister and the driver of the van, Alison F. Macke, then 19, was injured, as were two other passengers, Sarah M. Kinner, then 17, and Zachary Doran, then 19, all of Toledo.

Morris was also treated for injuries.

For more, see Saturday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com