A 12-year-old Beallsville Elementary sixth-grader was ejected from a car and killed after it overturned on a rural Monroe County road, while three other juveniles inside were hurt. The boy has been identified as William Holdyn Kinison, born in Cambridge, Ohio, on August 18, 2014.
The crash happened around 5:15 p.m. on Township Road 350, better known locally as Wolf Pen Road, in Center Township near Woodsfield, according to WTRF. The station reports that 39-year-old Britney N. Timberman, of Woodsfield, was driving a 2006 Honda Accord south on the road when she lost control, and the car went off the road, struck an embankment and overturned. Kinison was pronounced dead at the scene, and the other three juveniles suffered injuries described as not life-threatening, receiving treatment both at the scene and at local hospitals.
Wolf Pen Road connects near State Route 26 in rural Monroe County, according to The Times Leader. The Ohio State Highway Patrol, which is investigating, said alcohol and drug impairment are suspected as contributing factors in the crash, per WTRF's report. The station notes the investigation remains ongoing.
A Mother Behind the Wheel, Children in the Back Seat
Initial emergency reporting indicated Timberman was the mother of at least three of the young passengers in the vehicle, including the boy who died, according to River News Network. First responders requested an air medical helicopter during the initial dispatch to the crash site before the boy was pronounced dead at the scene, the same outlet reports.
Antioch EMS, Woodsfield Fire and EMS, and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office all assisted at the scene, per WTRF. The Monroe County Coroner's Office and Stephens Towing also responded, the station reported.
A Small School Mourns One of Its Own
Kinison was enrolled as a sixth grader at Beallsville Elementary School, which serves roughly 136 students within the Switzerland of Ohio Local School District, according to Niche. The district covers several rural public elementary and high schools across Monroe County, illustrating the close-knit community now grappling with the loss. Details of Kinison's life and background were shared by Watters Funeral Home, which identified him as the son of Timberman and William Kinison.
What Ohio Law Says About Impaired Driving With Kids in the Car
Under Ohio Revised Code § 2903.06, operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol resulting in a fatal crash is classified as Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a first- or second-degree felony carrying mandatory prison sentences upon conviction, according to Zukerman Law. Penalties under that statute can include up to eight years in prison along with driver's license suspensions, the firm notes.
Separately, Ohio Revised Code § 2919.22(C)(1) makes driving under the influence with a minor under 18 in the vehicle a charge of Child Endangering, which state law allows to be charged and convicted alongside an underlying OVI offense, according to Farrish & Nicholas Law Firm. That child endangering charge can be elevated to a higher felony degree if serious physical harm or death occurs, the firm explains. A crash reconstruction team was requested in this case, while the investigation continues.
Rural Monroe County and OVI Enforcement
The available reports do not provide statewide OVI enforcement totals or Monroe County's 2023 OVI-related crash figures for comparison.
It remains unclear whether toxicology testing has confirmed impairment or whether the Monroe County Prosecutor's Office has filed formal charges against Timberman, as the investigation continues.
