Man indicted in connection to University of Dayton freshman’s death

A 30-year-old man was indicted Thursday in connection to the death of a University of Dayton freshman who authorities say fell off a truck.

Kyler Carlile of New Lebanon was indicted in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court on one count of failure to stop after an accident. He is due in court on Feb. 18 at 8:30 a.m. for an arraignment hearing.

The Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office said in a press release that in the early morning of Sunday, Sept. 20, the defendant and his two passengers were in a pickup truck on Wayne Avenue when they saw 19-year-old Michael Currin walking along the roadway. Dayton police previously said Currin left campus to pick up a food order at around 3:30 a.m.

Carlile and the passengers offered Currin a ride, the prosecutor’s office said, and Currin climbed into the cargo area of the truck.

“The defendant drove to the home of one of the passengers. When they arrived, the defendant and his passengers noticed the victim was no longer in the back of the truck,” prosecutors said.

Carlile drove back the way he came and past the victim in the roadway, who was clearly injured, the office said.

“Instead of stopping and offering the victim aid and assistance or calling 911 to report the injury, as required by law, the defendant drove away,” the press release says. “The victim died three days later as a result of his injuries. The autopsy determined the victim suffered blunt-force trauma consistent with either falling or jumping from a moving vehicle. The coroner ruled the death an accident.”

The prosecutor’s office said it was a tragic accident in which a young man lost his life.

“The police investigation found no indication the defendant was driving recklessly or was impaired. The law does require the operator of a motor vehicle stop after an accident and remain there until authorities arrive. We extend our deepest sympathies and the victim and his family are in our prayers,” the prosecutor’s office said.

Dayton Police Chief Richard Biehl also released a statement.

“The tragic death of Michael Currin required extensive investigative efforts by Dayton Police Department detectives. We are confident that the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office and the Montgomery County Prosecutor’s Office fully evaluated all available evidence and appreciate their collective efforts in furthering this matter toward justice,” he said. “We again extend our condolences to the Currin family and to the entire University of Dayton community as they continue to heal after the loss of Michael.”

Currin’s death made a large impact on both the Dayton and Cincinnati community. Currin, of Blue Ash, was a captain on the Archbishop Moeller basketball team. He was studying business at UD.

Many UD students decorated sheets and displayed them on approaches across campus. At his high school t-shirts were printed in honor of him and $20,000 was collected in Currin’s name.

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