Dayton man indicted in deadly chase with trooper

DAYTON — A Dayton man was indicted on charges in a chase with a state trooper that ended in a deadly crash.

Thurston Melson, 38, is facing two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide in the death of Ebony Radford, according to the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office.

A grand jury also indicted Melson on the following charges:

• Failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer
• Operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol
• Operating a vehicle while under the influence of marihuana metabolite
• Operating a vehicle under the influence

On July 14, an Ohio State High Patrol trooper tried to conduct a traffic stop of a car driven by Melson on Gettysburg Avenue.

Melson reportedly pulled over initially, but then took off and turned onto Oakwood Drive.

He lost control of the vehicle near the Geneva Road intersection and hit an RTA pole.

The impact broke the car in half, killing Radford, who was a passenger.

She was 35 years old.

After the crash, Melson reportedly tested positive for alcohol and marihuana metabolite.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on Feb. 7.