Ron Welch
Muskingum County Prosecutor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, September 3, 2026
WESTERVILLE MAN FOUND GUILTY OF VEHICULAR HOMICIDE SENTENCED TO 6 YEARS
(ZANESVILLE, OH)
A Westerville man who was found guilty of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide will spend the next 6 years in prison.
On September 1, 2026, Michael Morgan, 58, appeared before Muskingum County Common Pleas Court Judge Kelly Cottrill for sentencing.
THE CRASH
In April of 2025 the Ohio State Highway Patrol was dispatched to a two-vehicle crash on State Route 146 near Milepost 5. Upon his arrival at the scene, the responding officer found a 2022 Ram Pickup crossed over the center line. The Investigations determined that that the pickup crossed the center line striking a 2014 Ford Explorer, killing the driver on impact.
In addition to reconstructing the scene, OSHP troopers continued their investigation. In searching Morgan’s truck, they located a prescription bottle and pills for Alprazolam, a medication that one should not operate a vehicle while taking and should not be consumed with alcohol. Morgan was also interviewed both at the scene and at the hospital, where he acknowledged taking the medication. Troopers noted his bloodshot eyes and slurred speech during these encounters. Morgan claimed the wreck was simply caused by him trying to reach for gummy bears he had dropped while operating the truck, but a urine sample collected by the hospital and sent to the OSHP crime lab revealed a 0.136 test result for alcohol in his urine as well as the Alprazolam.
In a suppression hearing held August 31, the defense attempted to have evidence of Morgan’s intoxication suppressed. Assistant Prosecutors Warren Edwards and James Hughes presented evidence to Judge Cottrill showing that the evidence should be allowed. The Court ruled in favor of the State and denied Morgan’s motion to have the test results excluded from evidence.
After losing his argument, Morgan pleaded No Contest to all 4 indicted charges in cr2025-0543: Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a felony of the 2nd degree, Aggravated Vehicular Homicide, a felony of the 3rd degree, and two counts of Operating a Vehicle Intoxicated, a misdemeanor of the 1st degree.
A plea of no contest does not mean a defendant is claiming to be innocent. Instead, the defendant chooses not to dispute the facts alleged in the charges and allows the court to determine guilt without going through a trial.
One common reason a defendant may plead no contest is to preserve certain legal issues for appeal. Although, a no-contest plea does not automatically preserve every possible appeal argument presented.
The Court found Morgan guilty of all four counts. Judge Cottrill sentenced Morgan to a prison sentence of 6 to 9 years with up to 3 years of mandatory post release control upon conclusion of his prison sentence as well as a lifetime suspension of his driver’s license.
During the sentencing hearing family members remembered the victim as “a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a friend, and someone who dedicated her life to helping others” and who “worked with foster children.” The victim was described as someone with an extraordinary gift for making people feel seen, valued, and loved. She carried a kindness that seemed endless and a heart big enough to hold everyone who needed her. The people she helped, the lives she touched, and the compassion she showed every day are part of the legacy she leaves behind.
Prosecutor Edwards reflected on the case stating, “While no punishment is ever adequate for this type of taking of an innocent life, we hope the legal system holding Mr. Morgan criminally accountable for the loss of their loved one finally provides the victim’s family a measure of closure.”
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