During the dispute, Lewis tried to leave Wright’s Back Bay Court apartment and Wright tried to stop him by standing in front of his car. But Lewis allegedly struck Wright, who ended up on the hood of the car and then under the wheel. He was pronounced dead at the scene, said Capt. Jeff Papanek of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office.
Investigators arrested Lewis that night, but he was released after a Montgomery County grand jury failed to indict him on felony charges, including murder. Proving Lewis’ intent, Papanek said, was the challenge, given that few can testify about what Wright and Lewis discussed that night prior to the crash. It took detectives a year to submit and analyze evidence, including Lewis’ cellphone, which included messages between he and Wright about money. Lewis also used that same phone to call 911.
“I needed the money, so I went over there. … He was going to sign my DP&L bill up,” Lewis told a dispatcher. “He jumped in front of my car and he got hit.”
The charges were filed March 4 against Lewis in Kettering Municipal Court. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for April 8. Lewis was in the Greene County Jail Thursday night, where he was booked March 16 on suspicion of a violation of bond conditions, online jail records show.
If convicted of vehicular negligent homicide, Lewis could face up to six months in jail.
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