Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Prosecutor Ric Hertel has filed a felony charge against John Elkins, 38, of Lexington, KY, relating to an accident he was involved in on June 17. The charge is Operating a Vehicle With a .08 Blood Alcohol Content Causing Death, a Class C felony.

According to information from the Affidavit of Probable Cause filed in Ripley Circuit Court on July 7, Elkins was driving the vehicle when it crashed on Hwy. 46 in the Sunman area killing Gregory Peters, who was a front seat passenger. Another passenger, Christina Brown, was injured in the accident.

Peters was taken by helicopter to the University of Cincinnati Hospital where he later died from injuries sustained in the one-vehicle crash.

Sgt. Marvin Smith of the Ripley County Sheriff’s Department, responded to the accident scene. In court documents Smith notes that he smelled alcohol at the scene and observed several containers of beer at the site of the accident.

Other witnesses say that Elkins was drinking earlier in the evening before the accident occurred at Randy’s Roadhouse in Batesville and at Lauren Reindorf’s apartment as well.

One witness told police Elkins, along with the others involved in the accident, was smoking marijuana prior to the accident.

Hospital personnel at UC drew Elkins’ blood, which tested over the legal limit to be operating a motor vehicle.

After interviewing various police officers, the investigation led Prosecutor Hertel to believe there was sufficient evidence to file the felony charge against Elkins.