WILMINGTON — “Actions have consequences,” said Judge Scott Nusbaum as he was sentencing Clayton Ramsden on Tuesday.
Ramsden, 18, was sentenced to five years in prison — while serving four months of prison concurrently in Clinton County Jail — after pleading guilty to two counts of felony 3 aggravated vehicular homicide and a misdemeanor assault charge in September.
With this plea, seven additional charges including endangering children and marijuana charges were dismissed. Ramsden’s driving license will be suspended for 10 years. He was given 340 days credited jail time.
In February 2019, Ramsden, 17, was involved in a four-vehicle accident near the National Weather Service facility on State Route 134. The crash resulted in the death of two passengers in Ramsden’s vehicle — 20-year-old Wendy Brewer, and her 14-month-old daughter, Ariella.
Family members of Wendy and Ariella spoke before the sentencing.
Robert Davis, the father of Ariella, hopes Ramsden finds peace.
Amanda Brewer, Wendy’s mother, said “I don’t wish you happiness… a lot of people hurt on both sides. The only difference is your side gets to see… we can’t. Never again … because of your actions.”
Jacob Jones, the father of Wendy Brewer’s other two children, spoke of how they have to “grow up without their mom.”
Friends and family of Ramsden spoke, expressing sympathy for Brewer’s family and how the accident has affected him greatly ever since.
Ramsden expressed sorrow and regret over what happened. Ramsden apologized to Wendy Brewer’s family, saying he’d switch places with her if he could.
Prosecutor Danielle Sollars believed Ramsden should’ve received the maximum of six years in prison due to the severity of the incident and the incidents involving Ramsden after he made bond.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) which investigated the crash, Ramsden was operating a Chevrolet Cavalier and was heading south on SR 134 when he attempted to pass a Chevrolet Equinox. The Cavalier then struck the Equinox from behind, went left of center, and struck head-on a northbound Buick Century, the OSHP reported.
The Cavalier then was struck by a second northbound vehicle, a Ford Taurus. The Cavalier caught fire and was completely engulfed, stated the OSHP.
Ramsden was transported to Miami Valley Hospital by CareFlight.
After making bond, he had several run-ins with the law, including driving without a license, fleeing and eluding, and assaulting an individual.
Visiting Judge Nusbaum’s final bit of advice for Ramsden after he gets out of prison was to “keep your head down and stay out of trouble.”
