JACKSON, Ohio (WCHS) — A 17-year-old faces multiple charges following a fatal crash that claimed the life of an off-duty police officer on August 15, 2025.
According to the Ohio Attorney General's Office, the teenager has been charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, one count of aggravated vehicular assault, one count of vehicular assault, and two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Authorities reported that the teenager was allegedly driving a compact car that rear-ended a golf cart after leaving a Jackson County roadway. Matthew Juniper, 25, a four-year veteran of the Wellston Police Department and former Jackson County deputy, died in the accident. The golf cart's driver, Brant Derrow, 40, also a Wellston police officer, sustained serious injuries.
The case is being processed in Jackson County Juvenile Court by the Ohio Attorney General's Special Prosecutions Section. Further details regarding the investigation and emergency response have not been disclosed.