Bond upped again for man accused in fatal West Chester crash indicted on more charges

Bond is now set at more than a half-a-million dollars for a Cincinnati man charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and other felonies in a fatal West Chester Twp. motorcycle crash that killed a mother of three.

Samuel Ankrah, 38, was taken into custody after the crash that happened about 1:35 a.m. Sept. 10 on Ohio 747 near Duff Drive. He was initially charged with impaired driving, hit-skip/leaving the scene of an accident and not maintaining assured clear distance, in addition to aggravated vehicular homicide.

Last week, Ankrah was indicted for aggravated vehicular homicide, alleging he did not have a valid driver’s license at the time of the incident, aggravated vehicular assault, failure to stop after an accident, all felonies and operating a vehicle under the influence, a first-degree misdemeanor.

At arraignment Tuesday on the indicted charges, Butler County Common Pleas Judge Dan Haughey set bond at $750,000, which is an increase from the $200,000 bond set in lower court shortly after Ankrah’s arrest.

According to West Chester Police, Ankrah was driving a Mazda southbound on Ohio 747 when he struck a Harley Davidson motorcycle in the rear-end collision.

West Chester Police said in court documents that Ankrah “admitted to officers that he consumed alcoholic beverages” before the crash.

Jessica Taleff, 27, a passenger on the motorcycle died at the scene. The Butler County Coroner’s Office said Taleff died of multiple traumatic injuries.

Taleff’s husband, Galen, was driving the motorcycle and was injured in the crash. Jessica Taleff leaves behind three young children.