Woman accused of causing deadly crash while running from police facing additional charges

MONTGOMERY COUNTY — A woman accused of causing a deadly crash in Montgomery County has been indicted on additional charges.

Melissa Hutchins, 50, of Dayton was indicted on additional charges of aggravated vehicular manslaughter (driving under suspension) and operating a vehicle under the influence (cocaine).

Hutchins was already indicted earlier this month on one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of aggravated vehicular homicide, three counts of failure to comply, and one count of possession of cocaine.

As News Center 7 previously reported, Hutchins is accused of running from Butler Township police in the construction zone on I-75 and taking off again when deputies spotted her three hours later.

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A detective used stop sticks and cruiser camera footage showed a tire smoking then detaching and flying backward. The chase lasted just over three minutes on SR-49 South.

Hutchins lost control, the SUV spinning through two complete 360s, but she took off again and ran through the red light at West Third Street.

She ran into 35-year-old Colby Ross’s convertible, forcing him into a pickup truck and to be thrown from his vehicle.

Ross was killed in the crash.

Hutchins has been charged many times for driving without a valid license, Montgomery County Sheriff Rob Streck said.

Streck said the vehicle Hutchins drove did not belong to her, and deputies will investigate to make sure the owner did not know she didn’t have a license.

“Another example of the tragic consequences that can occur when drivers flee from police. There is no excuse for fleeing from a simple traffic stop,” Montgomery County Prosecutor Mat Heck said.

Hutchins is currently being held in the Montgomery County Jail.

She is set to be arraigned on July 10.

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