Driver accused of dragging 9-year-old girl with SUV admitted to it, prosecutor says

DAYTON — The man accused of hitting a 9-year-old girl and dragging her for nearly half a mile admitted to it, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor.

>>PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Driver accused of dragging 9-year-old girl with SUV has history of DUI arrests, court docs reveal

A grand jury indicted Jeffrey Atkinson Thursday afternoon. Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck Jr. said what happened on Wayne Avenue and Clover Street should never happen, but it did.

Heck said 9-year-old Ashley Escalante was in the crosswalk with her parents and family. She was on her bike, the family had the walk signal, and were doing everything correctly.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘We are broken;’ Family of girl who lost leg after being dragged by car wants justice

Heck said they should have been safe, but weren’t because of a dangerous driver.

“Here’s a guy that owns a bar, and he’s driving impaired going to his bar and he doesn’t stop. He does nothing and he just leaves. He just leaves, just doesn’t care,” Heck said.

Heck said witnesses and 911 callers told them that the 55-year-old Atkinson had driven several more miles to his bar.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: ‘Tragic;’ Shocking video captures car hit family in crosswalk, drag girl on bike half a mile

He said police tried to give Atkinson a field sobriety test.

“However, he stopped them and said, ‘F” it, I’m drunk, I did it,’” Heck said.

Heck said Atkinson faced child endangering and vehicular assault charges along with the OVI.

His thoughts are with Escalante and her recovery from traumatic damage to both legs.

“Justice, they’re going to get justice, and their little girl is going to get justice,” Heck said.

Atkinson has been indicted for:

• Two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Assault
• One count of Child Endangering
• One count of Failure to Stop After an Accident
• One count of OVI

We will continue following this story.

©2024 Cox Media Group