A Lawrence County Grand Jury charged a Coal Grove man with involuntary manslaughter last week, alleging his actions contributed to a November traffic accident death.

Tuesday, January 04, 2000

A Lawrence County Grand Jury charged a Coal Grove man with involuntary manslaughter last week, alleging his actions contributed to a November traffic accident death.

Joshua C. Klaiber, 19, 841 Marion Pike, Coal Grove, was indicted Thursday for involuntary manslaughter, a third-degree felony, and vehicular homicide, a first-degree misdemeanor.

On Nov. 6, Klaiber was driving on Ohio 243 just outside Coal Grove when he apparently lost control of his car, skidded off the left side of the roadway and struck a utility pole, according to an Ohio Highway Patrol report.

Klaiber and a passenger, Christopher Friend, were transported to a Huntington, W.Va., hospital for treatment, the report stated.

Another passenger, Lee Roy Pauley III, 25, of Coal Grove, was pronounced dead shortly after arrival, the report stated.

Lawrence County prosecutor J.B. Collier Jr. said that because the accident involved a traffic offense of failure to control, the grand jury considered the manslaughter charge.

"We’re alleging that as a proximate result of a misdemeanor traffic violation, Jeffrey Pauley was killed," Collier said. "And as that was an element of the offense, the grand jury felt it appropriate to return a formal charge."

Klaiber was never cited by the OHP for the traffic violation, but it is part of the involuntary manslaughter charge, Collier said.

Klaiber will be arraigned in Lawrence County Common Pleas Court.

The grand jury returned six other true bills last week, including:

– Gary Lee Porter, 18, of 105 Malone St., South Point: Charged with one count breaking and entering, fifth-degree felony.

– Joshua D. Lesler, 18, 501 Solida Road, South Point, co-defendant with Porter: Charged with one count breaking and entering, fifth-degree felony, and one count of forgery, fifth-degree felony.

– Brandon Clary, 21, Ohio 141, Pedro: Charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, fifth-degree felony, and grand theft, fourth-degree felony.

– Dennis O. Viars, 41, of 76 Private Drive 2954, Scottown: Charged with felonious assault, second-degree felony.

– Andrew R. Moore, 20, of Hillcrest Apartments, Ashland, Ky.: Charged with aggravated robbery with a firearm specification, first degree felony.

– Scott Moore, 18, of 107 Main St., South Point, co-defendant with Moore: Charged with complicity to aggravated robbery with a firearm specification, first-degree felony.