Athens County Teenager Pleads Guilty in Fatal Drunk-Driving Crash That Killed Wellston Police Officer
The 18-year-old admitted to felony vehicular homicide and assault charges stemming from an August 2025 crash in Jackson County Juvenile Court.
An 18-year-old Athens County resident pleaded guilty Monday in Jackson County Juvenile Court to felony charges stemming from an August 2025 drunk-driving crash that killed an off-duty Wellston police officer and seriously injured another officer, the Ohio Attorney General's Office announced Tuesday.
The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the crash and previously lived in Jackson County, admitted to aggravated vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony, and aggravated vehicular assault, a third-degree felony. The case was prosecuted by the attorney general's Special Prosecutions Section.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the collision happened around 2 a.m. Aug. 30, 2025, on South Pennsylvania Avenue near Sixth Street in Wellston. Authorities said the teenager, who was intoxicated, was driving a 2014 Hyundai Accent southbound when the vehicle rear-ended a golf cart. The impact forced the golf cart off the left side of the road and into a tree.
Matthew Juniper, 25, of Wellston, was a passenger in the golf cart and suffered fatal injuries. Juniper served for four years with the Wellston Police Department and previously worked as a Jackson County sheriff's deputy. Following the crash, colleagues and community members remembered the 25-year-old officer as compassionate, fair, hardworking and dedicated to his craft.
The driver of the golf cart, 40-year-old Brant Derrow of Wellston, also an off-duty Wellston police officer, was seriously injured.
"A teenager's reckless decision to drive drunk cost a police officer his life and left another officer injured," Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a statement. "This tragedy is a reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from drunken driving."
A disposition hearing in Jackson County Juvenile Court is scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 5.
Video0:30
An 18-year-old Athens County resident pleaded guilty Monday in Jackson County Juvenile Court to felony charges stemming from an August 2025 drunk-driving crash that killed an off-duty Wellston police officer and seriously injured another officer, the Ohio Attorney General's Office announced Tuesday.
The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the crash and previously lived in Jackson County, admitted to aggravated vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony, and aggravated vehicular assault, a third-degree felony. The case was prosecuted by the attorney general's Special Prosecutions Section.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the collision happened around 2 a.m. Aug. 30, 2025, on South Pennsylvania Avenue near Sixth Street in Wellston. Authorities said the teenager, who was intoxicated, was driving a 2014 Hyundai Accent southbound when the vehicle rear-ended a golf cart. The impact forced the golf cart off the left side of the road and into a tree.
Matthew Juniper, 25, of Wellston, was a passenger in the golf cart and suffered fatal injuries. Juniper served for four years with the Wellston Police Department and previously worked as a Jackson County sheriff's deputy. Following the crash, colleagues and community members remembered the 25-year-old officer as compassionate, fair, hardworking and dedicated to his craft.
The driver of the golf cart, 40-year-old Brant Derrow of Wellston, also an off-duty Wellston police officer, was seriously injured.
"A teenager's reckless decision to drive drunk cost a police officer his life and left another officer injured," Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a statement. "This tragedy is a reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from drunken driving."
A disposition hearing in Jackson County Juvenile Court is scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 5.
How we know this
The sources and records behind this story, with the facts they support.
Supporting evidence (10)
An 18-year-old Athens County resident pleaded guilty Monday in Jackson County Juvenile Court to felony charges stemming from an August 2025 drunk-driving crash that killed an off-duty Wellston police officer and seriously injured another officer, the Ohio Attorney General's Office announced Tuesday.
Read supporting passage
An 18-year-old has pleaded guilty in connection with a 2025 crash that killed an off-duty Wellston police officer and seriously injured another officer, according to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.
The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the crash and previously lived in Jackson County, admitted to aggravated vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony, and aggravated vehicular assault, a third-degree felony.
Read supporting passage
The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the crash and has since moved from Jackson County to Athens County, pleaded guilty Monday in Jackson County Juvenile Court to aggravated vehicular homicide, a second-degree felony, and aggravated vehicular assault, a third-degree felony.
The case was prosecuted by the attorney general's Special Prosecutions Section.
Read supporting passage
The Ohio Attorney General’s Office Special Prosecutions Section is prosecuting the case.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the collision happened around 2 a.m.
Read supporting passage
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash happened around 2 a.m. Aug. 30, 2025, on South Pennsylvania Avenue near Sixth Street in Wellston.
Authorities said the teenager, who was intoxicated, was driving a 2014 Hyundai Accent southbound when the vehicle rear-ended a golf cart.
The impact forced the golf cart off the left side of the road and into a tree.
Matthew Juniper, 25, of Wellston, was a passenger in the golf cart and suffered fatal injuries.
Read supporting passage
Matthew Juniper, 25, of Wellston, was a passenger in the golf cart and suffered fatal injuries. Juniper was a four-year veteran of the Wellston Police Department and had previously served as a Jackson County sheriff’s deputy.
The driver of the golf cart, 40-year-old Brant Derrow of Wellston, also an off-duty Wellston police officer, was seriously injured.
Read supporting passage
The golf cart’s driver, 40-year-old Brant Derrow of Wellston, also a Wellston police officer, was seriously injured.
"A teenager's reckless decision to drive drunk cost a police officer his life and left another officer injured," Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a statement.
Read supporting passage
“A teenager’s reckless decision to drive drunk cost a police officer his life and left another officer injured,” Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson said in a statement. “This tragedy is a reminder of the devastating consequences that can result from drunken driving.”
A disposition hearing in Jackson County Juvenile Court is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Read supporting passage
A disposition hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 5.
Teenager pleads guilty in OVI crash that killed off-duty Wellston officer
Supporting evidence (1)
Following the crash, colleagues and community members remembered the 25-year-old officer as compassionate, fair, hardworking and dedicated to his craft.
Read supporting passage
Officer Matt Juniper, 25, of the Wellston Police Department, was described as compassionate, fair, hardworking and dedicated to his craft.