COLUMBUS, Ohio — A Franklin County man was sentenced to at least nine years for a crash that killed his wife nearly three years ago.
According to records from Franklin County Common Pleas Court, 56-year-old Robert Ellis pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide last week.
Ellis was originally facing another count of aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of operating a vehicle under the influence for the crash that killed 51-year-old Dawn Ellis on Oct. 16, 2019.
According to court records, the other charges were dismissed by the prosecution.
Authorities say Ellis had a blood alcohol level of .185 — more than twice the legal limit.
Ellis has been previously convicted 12 times on OVI charges with a total of 36 past driving suspensions. His license was suspended the day of the crash.
In 2016, Ellis pled guilty and was sentenced to three years in jail.
Following the 2019 crash, Franklin County Sheriff Dallas Baldwin said there was more than a six-year gap between some of Ellis' OVI's, so judges couldn't take all of his convictions into account while sentencing.
He had been released from serving three years behind bars in Delaware County shortly before the 2019 crash.
In addition to his sentence, Ellis was given five years post release control and a lifetime-suspension of his license.
