Bennett And Sullivan Formally Charged In Fatal Accident

Last updated on Wednesday, June 18, 2014

(BLOOMFIELD) - Todd Bennett appeared in Greene Superior Court Monday afternoon, where Judge Dena Martin immediate suspended his driving privileges and advised him to hand over his driver’s license.

20-year-old Bennett was then formally charges with five counts in connection with a high-speed crash that killed 51-year-old Phillip Reynolds of Linton and injured another driver, 48-year-old Lisa Shafer of Odon.

The crash involved three vehicles on State Road 54, just east of County Road 800 West between Switz City and Linton early on January 22.

Bennett was also injured in the cash.

He is accused of operating a vehicle while intoxicated and driving at more than 95 mph when he rear-ended Shafer's car and then a truck head-on killing Reynolds.

Bennett has retained Carl Lamb and Mallory J. McClure of Carl Lamb & Associates in Bloomington.

Bennett was charged with:

Reckless homicide, a Class C felony, with a sentence range of two up to eight years in prison if convicted.
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in death, a Class C felony, sentence range of two to eight years.
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in serious bodily injury, a Class D felony, six months to three years.
Criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon inflicting serious bodily injury on another person, a Class C felony, two to eight years.
Reckless driving, a Class B misdemeanor, with a possible sentence up to 180 days.

Bennett was arrested Thursday, posted bond a $3,450 cash bond and was released.

22-year-old Craig Sullivan of Worthington was arrested the same day as Bennett and bonded out of jail after posting a $400 cash bond.

He is accused of providing alcoholic beverages to Bennett. Sullivan is facing a Class D felony charge of providing or furnishing an alcoholic beverage to a minor which resulted in a death.

Although Sullivan was scheduled to appear for an initial hearing at the same time as Bennett, his hearing was canceled.

Sullivan retained Attorney Mary Frances Higdon of Clear Creek. A pretrial conference in his case is scheduled for early August.

1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com

Click here to go back to previous page