Alea Weil, 30, has been sentenced to a maximum of five years in prison after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular assault and drug possession. The charges stem from a devastating collision on Interstate 71 that left an Ohio State Highway Patrol trooper seriously injured.
The incident occurred on February 13 when Trooper Adrian Wilson was outside his Dodge Charger, clearing debris from the road around 10:44 a.m. A Toyota driven by Weil struck the rear of the patrol car, causing it to lunge forward and hit Trooper Wilson. The crash resulted in the closure of the northbound lanes on Interstate 71 from US Route 62/State Route 3 to State Route 665/London-Groveport Road for nearly three hours.
The trooper was rushed to Grant Medical Center in critical condition and later managed to stabilize, but his injuries continued to be severe. Weil, who was driving the Toyota, was also taken to Grant Medical Center and was listed in critical but stable condition.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Weil was under the influence of fentanyl and cocaine at the time of the crash. She was arrested and given a $1 million bond, with an additional $10,000 for the drug possession charge. Furthermore, it was discovered that Weil had a prior drug possession charge in her home state of Georgia.
During her sentencing hearing, Weil’s attorney, Ryan Shefer, stated that she has been actively participating in Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous programs while being held at Jackson Pike. Additionally, she has enrolled in other counseling programs to address her substance abuse issues.
As part of her sentence, Weil will face up to two years of post-release control, and her driver’s license will be suspended for five years without any work privileges. She received credit for 162 days served in jail. The court hopes that this sentence will serve as a deterrent against impaired driving and its potentially catastrophic consequences.