The Ohio University student who fell into the Hocking River June 30 after being hit by an SUV involved in a car accident on the Richland Avenue bridge did not die as a result of his injuries sustained from the incident, according to the coroner's report.
The autopsy, performed by the Montgomery County Coroner's Office, determined Abhishek Singh drowned in the Hocking River after being struck by the SUV driven by April Hankinson, of Athens, near the intersection of Richland Avenue and state Route 682.
Hankinson pled not guilty to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and obstructing justice on Aug. 1.
Singh also suffered multiple rib fractures, lacerations of the liver and kidney, a fractured pelvic bone, and a fractured kneecap, according to the report.
Hankinson is slated for a pre-trial hearing in Athens County Common Pleas Court on Oct. 22.
Former professor must pay after keeping topless photos
A former Ohio University professor was ordered Aug. 22 to pay $10,000 after he did not destroy topless photos he had taken of a former student.
Larry Nighswander, a former visual communications professor, must pay the money in addition to the initial settlement of $350,000. The initial settlement stems from a harassment suit brought forth by Rebecca Humes, an OU student, in 2003 after Nighswander took partially nude photos of her. OU was ordered to pay an undisclosed amount of the original settlement.
Humes filed another lawsuit when the photos were re-discovered on his PDA by the Fairfield County Sheriff's Department on July 25, 2005, in an unrelated investigation. Nighswander must pay the $10,000 penalty no later than Jan. 31, according to Fairfield County Court of Common Pleas Judge Chris Martin's Aug. 22 ruling. If he fails to delete the photos, speaks publicly about the case or cannot meet other conditions of the order, Nighswander would be required to pay Humes $500,000 in damages.
Glouster residents sentenced to prison for evading police
Two Glouster residents are facing prison time after being convicted of taking part in an attempt to escape police custody.
Kyla Powell, 25, of Glouster, was sentenced to three years in prison July 11 for complicity to escape. Powell reportedly held open a Glouster Police Department door in February, allowing Matthew Handa, 29, of Glouster, to flee.
Handa was sentenced Aug. 28 to five years in prison after a jury found him guilty of escape. Athens County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Ward ruled that his sentence be served consecutively with a previous sentence of 11 months for receiving stolen property.
Both Handa and Powell are appealing their case.
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Jess Mosser
Autopsy shows impact from car collision didn't kill Singh
