Former Cincinnati Police Officer Gregory Berting, who was fired last week for his involvement in a fatal crash, was charged Thursday with vehicular homicide.
He is accused by Cincinnati police of being negligent when he sped through a stop sign June 15 during a pursuit of a hit-and-run driver and plowed into the side of another car, killing 18-year-old Michael Tenhundfeld of Delhi Township.
The charge is a misdemeanor that alleges the officer used "lapse of due care" when he failed to stop at the stop sign, said Karl Kadon, acting city solicitor. The crime is punishable by up to six months in jail.
Hamilton County Prosecutor
Joe Deters declined to press a felony version of the charge. He determined Mr. Berting was not reckless, which is necessary for aggravated vehicular homicide, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Mr. Berting, 23, will plead not guilty when he appears for a preliminary hearing Tuesday, said his attorney, Merlyn Shiverdecker.
Mr. Shiverdecker represented another police officer on a vehicular homicide charge in May. Mariemont Police Lt. Timothy Sharrock was acquitted. Jurors found he was not criminally negligent when his car veered across the center line Feb. 2, hitting another vehicle head-on.
In Mr. Berting's case, his superiors found that he violated department policy that requires officers to stop at intersections - even in pursuits where they have a siren blaring.
Mr. Berting was trying to join the pursuit of Paul Wayne Lovelace, 25, who was wanted on traffic violations and was later charged with involuntary manslaughter in Mr. Tenhundfeld's death.
Mr. Lovelace was blocks away, being chased by other officers, when Mr. Berting collided with a car carrying teens on their way home from selling snacks at Cinergy Field. Mr. Tenhundfeld died on impact. Two others were injured.
Mr. Tenhundfeld's family has been forgiving of Mr. Berting since the Father's Day crash.
But some of Mr. Tenhundfeld's friends, including best friend Jon Harris, 21, hoped for a stiffer charge, saying, "This just isn't enough."
Previous stories
EX-COP WON'T FACE FELONY CHARGE July 1, 1997
'VINDICTIVE' CHARGE TO BE CONTESTED June 27, 1997
PURSUED DRIVER CHARGED WITH MANSLAUGHTER June 26, 1997
CITY FIRES OFFICER IN FATAL CHASE June 25, 1997
GROUP ADVOCATES SAFER PURSUITS June 21, 1997
TEACHERS SEE PROMISE SWEPT AWAY Krista Ramsey column, June 21, 1997
OFFICER REPRIMANDED FOR CHASE LAST SUMMER June 19, 1997
VICTIM'S FAMILY PRAYS FOR OFFICER June 19, 1997
OFFICER: CHASE WAS SLOW June 18, 1997
PROSECUTORS CONSIDER CHARGES June 18, 1997
PURSUED MAN RACKED UP OFFENSES June 18, 1997
TENHUNDFELD VISITATION TODAY June 18, 1997
COP IN CRASH RAN STOP SIGN June 17, 1997
COPS' PURSUIT RULES VARY June 17, 1997
DIAGRAM OF THE CHASE June 17, 1997
TYPICAL DAY, TRAGIC NIGHT June 17, 1997
HIGH-SPEED POLICE CHASE FATAL June 16, 1997
