Ludington trucker who rear-ended family will lose driver’s license.

April 14, 2017

Ashley

Ludington trucker who rear-ended family will lose driver’s license.

By Allison Scarbrough. Editor.

#OceanaCountyNews #CourtNews

HART — The 26-year-old Ludington trucker who rear-ended a family of five and another motorist, nearly killing a 4-year-old boy July 5 on southbound US 31 near the New Era exit, will not have a driver’s license or a commercial driver’s license (CDL) for at least one year, according to Oceana County Prosecutor Joseph Bizon.

Jonathon William Ashley, of 317 1/2 B James St., was sentenced in 78th District Court Monday, April 10, to six months probation; 93 days discretionary jail; and $925 in fines and costs for a conviction of moving violation causing serious impairment. Ashley pleaded “no contest” to the charge. By pleading “no contest,” he avoids civil litigation.

Connor Weston who was critically injured in the semi/two-car crash suffered a “catastrophic brain injury,” previously stated the boy’s father, Benjamin Weston.

Whether or not Ashley gets his license back after one year is up to the Secretary of State, Bizon said, stressing that the court system has no authority to make that determination.

“Justice would be served if he is not allowed to ever drive again,” Ben previously said. “The safety of society depends on if this guy doesn’t

Connor Weston
– Contributed photo

get behind the wheel again.”

“The family stated that they were not looking for incarceration,” Bizon said. “But they wanted to make sure that he won’t drive a commercial vehicle anymore.”

Ashley was driving a 2016 Freightliner owned by Apache Logistics of Holland. The accident scene backed up traffic for hours as vacationers were heading back south after the Fourth of July weekend.

“He didn’t hit his brakes until the first impact, which tells me he wasn’t looking,” Ben said previously.

Connor Weston was 4 years old at the time of the crash and has since turned 5. He was riding in a 2000 Subaru Outback driven by his father. Also in the car were his mother, Michelle Weston, 36, and brothers, Dylan, 7, and Logan, 10. The family was traveling between destinations while on summer vacation. They were all injured in the crash.

The semi also struck a 2016 Mazda driven by Jerrine Marie Forrest, 34, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, who was also injured.

Ashley’s probation includes standard orders: not to purchase or possess a firearm; must submit to testing, searches and counseling required by probation; not to use alcohol or drugs; and no assaultive behavior.

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