Just seven months after her last arrest for fleeing police and other serious offenses, authorities say the reckless behavior Davina Arthur ended Friday night in tragedy—killing an innocent local man and costing Arthur her own life.
According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, two people were killed around 7 p.m. Friday in a fiery crash at the intersection of U.S. 23 and North Market Street in Waverly after a vehicle fleeing police ran a red light and slammed into another car.
Troopers from the Portsmouth Post said a 2011 Ford Fusion driven by 46-year-old Davina K. Arthur of Friendship, Ohio, was traveling southbound on U.S. 23 while being pursued by the Chillicothe Police Department.
Arthur continued south through Waverly, ran a red light at North Market Street, and struck a 2025 Ford Escape driven by 63-year-old William K. Gildow of Waverly, who was traveling westbound, troopers said.
Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene. Their bodies were transported to the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office for autopsies.
A passenger in Arthur’s vehicle, 66-year-old Homer R. Bailey III of West Portsmouth, was injured in the crash and transported to Grant Hospital for treatment. His condition has not been released.
A Pattern That Ended in Tragedy
The fatal crash comes just months after Arthur’s most recent run-in with law enforcement.
Seven months ago, Davina Arthur was arrested on multiple charges including unauthorized use of a motor vehicle (joyriding), interference with custody of a minor, probation violation, and fleeing a police officer. At the time, she was already on probation for aggravated menacing.
Court records show that arrest followed a similar incident last September, when Arthur faced charges for failure to comply, interference with custody, and unauthorized use of a vehicle.
Her criminal history spans decades and includes escape, multiple drug theft and drug abuse charges, failure to comply with police, aggravated menacing, operating a vehicle impaired, disorderly conduct, providing false information to law enforcement, and driving without a license.
An Innocent Life Lost
While the investigation into Friday’s crash remains ongoing, authorities have made clear that the pursuit ended with catastrophic consequences—not just for the suspect, but for an uninvolved driver who never had a chance to react.
William Gildow, a 63-year-old Waverly resident, was simply passing through a green light when police say his vehicle was struck.
“This crash underscores the devastating impact reckless flight from law enforcement can have,” troopers said in their release.
As the community mourns the loss of a local resident, the crash has renewed questions about repeat offenders, probation enforcement, and how quickly reckless behavior can escalate into irreversible loss.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol says the incident remains under investigation
