New Kent Charles City Chronicle

News for New Kent County and Charles City County, Virginia | March 28, 2024

Man involved in deadly I-64 accident indicted on manslaughter charge in New Kent

By Andre Jones | September 22, 2015 2:06 am

A North Carolina man whose tractor-trailer crashed and triggered a multi-vehicle accident that left a woman dead is among 11 individuals indicted by a New Kent grand jury during Monday morning proceedings.

Ira Dean Vestal, 39, of the 5800 block of Springs Road, Conover, North Carolina, was indicted on one charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Jennifer P. Wilson and one charge of misdemeanor reckless driving.

According to the indictment, Vestal was allegedly operating a tractor-trailer on Interstate 64 eastbound on March 11 when he struck a pick-up truck as traffic slowed down due to a disabled vehicle. The collision initiated a chain reaction, resulting in a car operated by Wilson being pushed into another tractor-trailer. Wilson died at the scene of the accident.

Others indicted by the grand jury are:

–Jessy Daniel Babbitt, 32, currently on Henrico Jail East, on one count of assault and battery on an officer. The indictment alleged that Babbitt assaulted Deputy Brien Derose on Aug. 15 while incarcerated.

–Nichoalas Joseph Ciambor, 30, of the 5800 block of Westover Village Drive, Richmond, on one count each of felony eluding police, misdemeanor reckless driving, and misdemeanor driving without a license. Ciambor allegedly operated a vehicle on July 8 and fled from police.

–Jason Bill Dunlow, 19, and Gregory Reed Wilhelm, 46, both of the 100 block of Mitchells Mill Road, Aylett, on charges of grand larceny and burglary. According to the indictment, both men entered the dwelling of Steven Hepner and stole firearms, credit cards, and jewelry on July 14. Both men are each charged with two counts of grand larceny and one count of burglary, with Wilhelm having an additional count of burglary.

–Clint Michael Gillespie, 38, of the 7200 block of Club Drive, Quinton, on one count each of strangulation and misdemeanor assault and battery on a family member. Gillespie allegedly committed the offenses against a family member on May 27.

–Tyler Jordan Gilliam, 23, of the 8400 block of Kips Creek Drive, Charles City, on one count of possession of cocaine. Gilliam allegedly possessed the substance on April 24.

–Howard Keith Jones, 48, of the 6000 block of Golden Wheel Road, Providence Forge, on one count DUI (third offense) and driving revoked that causes endangerment. The offense allegedly took place last May 24.

–Kevin Lee McKenney, 37, of the 5800 block of Spring Run Drive, Quinton, on one count of grand larceny. McKenney allegedly stole checks belonging to Kenneth Ray Valentino Jr on Feb. 24 of this year.

–John Steven Minor, 40, of the 8900 block of Ellyson Trace, Quinton, on one count of manufacturing a controlled substance. According to the indictment, Minor allegedly manufactured cocaine on May 8.

–Samantha Jo Strickland, 26, of the 5600 block of Quinton Estates, Quinton, on one count each of grand larceny and misdemeanor obtaining money by false pretenses. According to the indictment, Strickland allegedly stole jewelry belonging to Shannon Wooten and sold it to Gold and Silver Mine last June 4.