A Cincinnati congressional hopeful is now juggling a criminal case along with his campaign, after prosecutors charged him this week with failure to stop following a December crash that they say left a pedestrian seriously injured. John David Hancock, 31, who has filed to run as a Libertarian in Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, has pleaded not guilty and was released on his own recognizance.
Prosecutors say the collision happened on Dec. 3 at Groesbeck Road and Hamilton Avenue, when a woman who had just gotten off a bus crossed several lanes and was struck. Investigators say they recovered video of the crash, later found Hancock’s vehicle at his workplace with damage consistent with the collision, and allege he told his insurer he had hit a tree, according to FOX19.
What court records say
Court filings reviewed by The Cincinnati Enquirer state that the pedestrian suffered serious physical harm and that Hamilton County prosecutors charged Hancock with failure to stop after an accident. The warrant lists the offense as a felony because of the injuries, and the filings show Hancock is due back in Common Pleas Court on March 4 as the case moves forward.
Why the charge is serious
Ohio law treats failure to stop after an accident differently depending on the harm caused. If an accident results in serious physical harm, the offense can be elevated to a felony. Under the Ohio Revised Code, that makes it a fifth-degree felony, with sentencing ranges and fines that judges apply based on the circumstances. ORC 4549.02, ORC 2929.14.
Campaign and ballot context
Hancock is listed as the Libertarian candidate on certified May 5 primary ballots for Ohio’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Cincinnati and is represented by Democrat Greg Landsman. Local reporting says the campaign did not respond to requests for comment, and the charge drops an unexpected spotlight into a race already being watched for its post-redistricting competitiveness, according to the Springfield News-Sun.
Next steps
Hancock has pleaded not guilty and is expected back in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court on March 4 as prosecutors prepare the case. If the charge results in a conviction for a fifth-degree felony, state law allows for prison time, fines and a driver’s license suspension, though the outcome will hinge on the evidence, pretrial rulings and whether a plea agreement is reached. Court records reviewed by The Cincinnati Enquirer include the charging documents and upcoming court dates.
