A Canal Winchester man is headed to prison after a two-vehicle crash in Madison Township killed two people and seriously injured two others in April 2024. A judge on Thursday ordered 38-year-old Anthony Conley to serve at least a dozen years behind bars in connection with the wreck, the latest development in a case that has been unfolding for more than a year.
Sentence and courtroom details
According to The Columbus Dispatch, Conley was sentenced Thursday for his role in the April 2024 collision. The Dispatch reports that the term will keep him in prison for at least 12 years and reflects the seriousness of the crash.
What happened in April 2024
An April 2024 report in The Columbus Dispatch, republished on Yahoo, described the collision at the intersection of Gender Road and West Waterloo Street in front of Winchester Plaza. That coverage said Wayne Smith, 63, and an unnamed juvenile died at the scene, and two others were seriously injured. One passenger, Sherri Smith, 60, was taken to Mount Carmel East, while Conley was transported to OhioHealth Grant Medical Center in stable condition.
Investigators told the paper that Conley, driving a 2016 Tesla Model S, failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a southbound Buick Enclave. The Ohio State Highway Patrol said speed appeared to be a factor.
Aftermath for families and next steps
The crash prompted community concern and fundraising efforts for the injured, as earlier coverage noted. With the sentence now imposed, future court filings will show whether Conley pursues additional legal action. The Columbus Dispatch remains the primary public record of both the April collision and this week's sentencing.
