Three DUI's and a Murder Charge
Save Email Print
Bookmark and Share
Posted: 12:49 AM Jan 18, 2008
Three DUI's and a Murder Charge
A man with three DUI's is now facing murder charges.
Reporter: Randy Yohe
Email Address: randy.yohe@wsaz.com
width:200 and height: 120 and picwidth: 200 and pciheight: 120
Font Size:

Should a man facing his third DUI charge get his license back? The answers a grieving family aches for many not be what they want to hear.

Before going to court, Mary Church and her sons placed a memorial cross at the intersection where husband and father Ronnie Church took his last breath. “He was a well liked, hard working man who loved his family,” Church said.

In the packed courtroom, a judge must decide if a capital murder charge against Billy Dwayne Reed should go to a grand jury. Police say the 31 year old was under the influence on January 7, when his pickup truck recklessly hit Ronnie Church’s motorcycle.

The 43 year old coal truck driver died after the collision.

Police officer Jason Merlo was on the scene that day. “He smelled of alcohol, was staggering, speech slurred,” Merlo said.

The judge did send the DUI murder case to the grand jury. But what was not mentioned today was this is Billy Reed’s third DUI charge in less than a year.

“The system failed us. A man did not have to die,” Church said.

Court records show Reed was awaiting trial on a DUI when he got his second DUI, but without prior conviction, the penalties do not increase.

A judge suspended Reed’s license for 12 days, the maximum allowed on a first offense DUI. Records show a few days later he was charged with the murder of Ronnie Church.

Reed’s attorney says he will show his client did not cause Church’s death. Reed remains jailed without bond.

Latest Comments

Posted by: DEBRA SPICOCCHI on Jun 19, 2010 at 06:20 PM

i HOPE EVERYONE IS HAPPY. BILLY IS NOW IN PRISON FOR MANSLAUGHTER. I KNOW THAT rONNIE cHURCH WAS IN FRONT OF BILLY GOING UP THE HILL, RONNIE WENT INTO THE TURN LANE AND SWERVED BACK DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF BILLY'S TRUCK. BILLY WAS NOT SPEEDING AS SO MANY SAID EXCEPT 2 MILES OVER HE WAS GOING 57 MILES AN HOUR AND RICK BARTLEY TRIED TO SAY HE WAS DRUNK AND SPEEDING UP THRU THE INTERSECTION. NO ONE HOULDS ON THEIR BRAKES GOING UP HILL ON A GREEN LIGHT EXCEPT SOME AS STUPID AS RICK BARTLEY. I AM SO SORRY FOR MARY CHURCH AND HER FAMILY, THEY MAY HATE ALL OF US BUT WE ARE NOT THAT KIND OF PEOPLE WE GRIEVE FOR THEM WE FEEL THEIR HURT AND WE HAVE THOSE SAME FEELINGS FOR OUR FAMILY. WE CAN STILL GO VISIT OUR CHILD AND HE CAN SEE HIS DAUGHTER BUT IF ANY OF YOU BELIEVE THAT HE ISN'T GETTING IR HARD ENOUGH, YOU ARE WRONG. BOTH MEN HAVE A FAMILY AND CHILDRED AND WE ALL MISS THEM. NO WE CAN;T SEE RONNIE CHURCH AGAIN BUT I BELIEVE IT WAS RONNIE'S TIME TO GO HOME TO BE WITH THE LORD.
Posted by: Deborah on Dec 6, 2009 at 09:07 AM

I strongly beleive one a man or women gets behind the wheel drunk should not be allowed to drive. Especially if they have been charged with Dui's or regardless. They should not get there licese back beacuae they will go out there eventually and kill a innocent person becasue of ther disease. They will lie and not be trustsd.The courts need to realize this and take this very seriously. So many people have lost ther lifes because of a alcholics bad choices they made.
Posted by: KELLEY BONDY on Oct 9, 2008 at 10:58 PM

I FEEL FOR THE FAMILY. MY HUSBAND WAS KILLED 8/10/08 BY A DENTIST WITH 5 DUI'S AND BEING CHARGED WITH MISDAMEANOR??? HOW MANY CHANCES DO PEOPLE GET? OUR LOVED ONES ARE DEAD AND DON'T GET CHANCE AFTER CHANCE. OUR LAWS NEED TO BE CHANGED. THESE REPEAT OFFENDERS NEED TO BE STOPPED BEFORE THEY KILL MORE PEOPLE. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES AND FRIENDS OF OUR LOST LOVED ONES. WE WILL FIGHT TO MAKE A CHANGE. YOU MAKE THE WRONG CHOICE TO DRINK AND DRIVE. STAY HOME AND DRINK OR TAKE A CAB! KELLEY BONDY CHICAGO
More Stories
$250,000,000
Go to our mobile site | Make this your homepage (IE)
Live Feed Now on the Always On Channel

Local Events

Loading…
Events by eviesays.com
WSAZ Digital Business Search
Popular Searches
Powered by Local.com
Click here to send us your pictures and video pix@wsaz.com
WSAZ.com Most Popular / Most Comments
CNN.com News Headlines
WSAZ.com Sponsor Sections & Links
SOMC-Very good things are happening here SOMC
Very good things are happening here. Click here to learn more
Click here for closing and delays
Click here for school closings and delays
West Virginia Lottery nightly @ 6:59pm on WSAZ click here for numbers and drawings
Watch the Lottery Live Monday - Saturday @ 6:59pm on WSAZ NewsChannel 3. Need to check your numbers? Click here.
Ohio Lottery
Watch the Ohio Lottery Drawings weeknights @ 7:29pm and Cash Explosion Saturday @ 7:30pm on WSAZ NewsChannel 3.
WSAZ Children's Charitable Foundation
Click here to donate and help WSAZ help children at risk in our region. Thank you.
Making Moms LIfe Easier - with Diane Dimoff
Click here to see how our partners are making Moms and women's lives easier.
First Warning Hour-By-Hour Forecasts
+ Ashland, KY
+ Athens, OH
+ Beckley, WV
+ Charleston, WV
+ Clarksburg, WV
+ Clay, WV
+ Gallipolis, OH
+ Huntington, WV
+ Ironton, OH
+ Logan, WV
+ Morgantown, WV 		+ Paintsville, KY
+ Parkersburg, WV
+ Pikeville, KY
+ Pomeroy, OH
+ Portsmouth,OH
+ Ripley, WV
+ Spencer, WV
+ Sutton, WV
+ Wayne, WV
+ Wheeling, WV
+ Williamson, WV