x
Breaking News
More () »

Driver in fatal I-480 accident doesn't show up for first appearance in court

The crash took the life of Daniel Ripepi of the Ripepi funeral homes in Ohio.

CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a story published on Sept. 24, 2021.

The driver of a dump truck that struck and killed a man in Cleveland back in September was a no-show in court on Tuesday for arraignment. 

RELATED: Dump truck driver strikes sign on I-480, sparking deadly traffic incident

According to Tyler Sinclair at the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, Jason Beard, 38, did not show up to his first appearance in court for the Sept. 24, 2020 death of Daniel Ripepi, a licensed funeral home director with the Ripepi Funeral Homes across Northeast Ohio. 

An arrest warrant has been issued for Beard.

Beard was charged with two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and Aggravated Vehicular Manslaughter. The 38-year-old was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month. 

RELATED: Man indicted in connection with deadly Cleveland crash that killed funeral home VP Daniel Ripepi

The accident was caused by Beard after the truck driver was operating his vehicle with the bed of the truck raised on the highway. The truck's bed hit an overhead highway sign, causing it to fall over directly onto Ripepi's car. 

Ripepi, 62, was the Vice President of A. Ripepi & Sons Funeral Home.

Editor's note: the video in the player below is from a story published on Sept. 24, 2021.

RELATED: Ohio State Highway Patrol Trooper, Cleveland Police officers honored for saving elderly couple from house fire

RELATED: Euclid High School football player tragically killed in Saturday morning crash, two other players recovering

RELATED: 57-year-old motorcyclist killed in accident on I-480

Before You Leave, Check This Out