By Meladi Brewer

DailyAdvocate.com

GREENVILLE — Jessica R. Walker, 48, of New Madison, was granted release after serving a little over a year of a four year sentence. Judge Stephen Wolaver presided.

Walker was serving her sentence after a jury found her guilty in 2023 for accusations regarding her allegedly hitting a male victim with her car. She was found guilty by a jury of count two, felonious assault, a felony of the second degree; and count four, failure to stop after an accident, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

The original sentence the court had imposed was a minimum sentence of four years with a maximum sentence of four and a half years with jail time credit on count two of the indictment, and the court had issued, on count four, a suspension of the defendant’s right to drive for a period of 12 months.

Walker applied for and received judicial release from prison on Friday, Aug. 16. The court found her motion for judicial release had been filed in a timely manner, and the state objected to the motion. Walker’s motion and memorandum, as well as the Institutional Report Summary from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections were also reviewed.

Judge Wolaver deemed the court found that a sanction other than a prison term would adequately punish the offender and protect the public from future criminal violations by the eligible offender nor would it demean the seriousness of the offense.

A community sanction was granted, and Walker’s prison sentence was suspended. Walker will be on community control through the Adult Probation Department for a period of up to 60 months with the following conditions:

One is to report as ordered, including supervision level set by the Darke County Adult Probation Department, pay court costs within 12 months with monthly payment, seek and maintain employment, abstain from all alcohol and illegal drug use, be subject to random testing, comply with a substance abuse, mental health treatment, critical thinking, and educational programs as recommended, and pay monthly Adult Probation supervision fees.

Walker is to have no contact with Butler Township Trustees or facilities, no contact with the victims from the case, and she is to have no violations of federal, state, or local laws of any nature while abiding by all rules and regulations of the Adult Probation Department.

A failure to comply with the terms and conditions of community control may result in the court reimposing the original sentence, including post-release control, or other sanctions. She is to reimburse the State of Ohio and Darke County for costs of proceedings, supervision, confinement, indigent attorney fees and prosecution as authorized by law among other fees.

All documentation regarding details on the matter are listed as public record and can be obtained for all information regarding the case and judicial release.

To contact Daily Advocate Reporter Meladi Brewer, email [email protected].