Salem man pleads guilty to misdemeanor vehicular homicide

Charges stem from crash that killed two after he fell asleep at the wheel

LISBON -- A man who caused the deaths of an elderly Salem couple in a 2024 crash after falling asleep at the wheel will face sentencing at 2 p.m. Aug. 5 after pleading guilty Wednesday to two counts of vehicular homicide.

Kaylan Latrae Jones, 26, Georgetown Road, entered the pleas to the first-degree misdemeanor charges before Columbiana County Municipal Court Acting Judge Nick Amato during what was scheduled as a status hearing. He was accompanied by his defense attorney Zachary Miller.

"This is an open plea," county Assistant Prosecutor Ralph Rivera said.

There was no plea agreement, with both sides to make their recommendations for a sentence at the sentencing hearing next week, according to Rivera. Miller said it was an unqualified plea of guilty to both counts.

Amato accepted the plea and scheduled the sentencing. A motions hearing had been set for the same time next week on a motion to suppress, but it's been changed to a sentencing hearing. The jury trial that was scheduled to begin Aug. 6 is now canceled. Jones remains out of jail on a $5,000 recognizance bond.

The first-degree misdemeanor charge of vehicular homicide carries a maximum penalty of six months in jail.

Richard Albert Hiner, 87, and Joanne Eileen Hiner, 89, were passengers in a 2020 Toyota Sienna driven by their daughter, Valerie Donlon, 63 at the time, of Austintown, who was northbound on Georgetown Road when Jones' southbound car traveled left of center and hit her vehicle head-on. Both Jones and Donlon also suffered injuries in the crash.

The secret indictment issued for the case said Jones caused the deaths of the Hiners negligently while operating a 2018 Ford Fusion on Sept. 21, 2024. The case ended up in county Municipal Court since both charges were misdemeanors.

County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Ryan Weikart said previously that it was his understanding that Jones was coming from work and indicated he fell asleep, traveled left of center and struck the other vehicle head-on. Weikart said Perry Township police indicated no drugs or alcohol were involved.

The motion to suppress had just been filed Monday, seeking to suppress statements made by Jones during a Sept. 23, 2024 interview with a Perry Township police officer, the written Miranda waiver executed during the interview, the written consent allowing the search of Jones' vehicle, the written authorization permitting police to obtain his medical records and all evidence derived from the statements, waivers and consents.

A hearing had been requested to determine whether the statement, consents and waivers were done knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily executed, noting the interview and consents occurred just two days after the crash, after Jones had been in the hospital. The motions hearing is now transformed to a sentencing hearing.

The plea hearing was brief, with several family members of the Hiners present in the courtroom.