Search fatalities

Zachary Carson

Age : 33

Gender : Male

Race : White

Date : 11/05/2023

Location : State Route 7 near milepost 3

City : Middleport

County : Meigs

State : Ohio

Agency : Meigs County Sheriff’s Office; Mason County Sheriff’s Office; Point Pleasant Police Department

Officer(s) :Deputy Kyle Calendine; Deputy Cody Gilbraith

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

On 11/05/2023, Zachary Carson, 33, was driving southbound on State Route 7 near Middleport when police chased a blue Ford Mustang convertible driven northbound by Zackary Jeffers after a reported domestic violence incident in Mason County, West Virginia. Police said Jeffers did not stop and the chase continued across county lines into Ohio. Near milepost 3 around 9:08 p.m., Meigs County deputies deployed spike strips in the roadway. Reporting at the time said Jeffers hit the device, lost control, crossed left of center, and crashed head on into Carson’s vehicle, killing Carson at the scene. Jeffers was taken to a hospital and later died from injuries.

A wrongful death lawsuit later filed by Carson’s estate alleges Carson was an uninvolved bystander traveling below the speed limit and had no role in creating the danger. The suit names Meigs County, Mason County, and Point Pleasant and also names Meigs County Sheriff Scott Fitch, Deputy Kyle Calendine, and Deputy Cody Gilbraith. The lawsuit alleges Calendine directed the deployment and Gilbraith deployed the spike strips at an unsafe, impromptu location without traffic control, while the chase was reaching about 100 miles per hour, and that no firearm was recovered despite early concerns about a weapon. The suit also alleges that after the crash, Calendine made callous remarks on body camera about Carson’s death, including saying it is what it is and calling it the price of business, and it cites a recorded comment attributed to Gilbraith immediately after the deployment. The Athens County Independent reports the defendants have denied wrongdoing and that the case is scheduled for a pretrial hearing on 02/04/2026.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://athensindependent.com/meigs-wrongful-death-lawsuit/
https://www.wtap.com/2023/11/06/fatal-crash-route-7-meigs-county/
https://www.wsaz.com/2023/11/06/police-chase-ends-deadly-crash-2-dead/
https://wchstv.com/news/local/two-people-killed-in-crash-during-meigs-county-pursuit-troopers-say
https://irontontribune.com/2023/11/08/fatal-crash-under-investigation/