John Jefferson
Main: Sparks fly as the driver of a Hummer drags a 9-year-old girl down the street in front of her family (WHIO). Left inset: Jeffrey Atkinson in bodycam footage (Law&Crime). Right inset: Ashley Escalante in a family photo aired on the news (WHIO).
An Ohio bar owner charged as the person behind the wheel of Hummer that hit a 9-year-old girl in front of her family as she rode bikes with a friend through a crosswalk, dragged her down the street, and cost her left leg “below the knee” one month ago had a BAC that night more than four times the legal limit, authorities have reportedly revealed.
A friend and Ashley Escalante were riding bikes as her mother, father, and twins were out to go Family Dollar for milk, WHIO reported, when 55-year-old Jeffrey Atkinson allegedly hit into the girl with his Hummer at Wayne Avenue and Clover Street in Dayton and kept on driving.
Bodycam from July 22 showed the Dayton Police encountering Atkinson, the owner of Cowboys Lodi Bike Stop bar, at his business after Escalante was dragged for several blocks and half a mile, leaving the child with “extensive trauma” that reportedly have her in a hospital to this day.
When police attempted to perform a field sobriety test, Atkinson admitted he was “too drunk to pass,” authorities said. Now cops allege he had a .34 BAC, well above the legal limit of .08, according to the local news outlet.
Police have said the girl’s mother, among others, called 911 to say that Ashley “became caught in the wheels” and that she didn’t know where she was. Video showed Ashley’s father Carlos Escalante running down a sidewalk after the Hummer while he had a baby in his arms.
Carlos Escalante runs with a baby in his arms after his daughter (WHIO).
When authorities got to Ashley, they noted that the “lower portion of her left leg, including her foot, was missing below the knee, and her right leg had significant injury as well.”
Miles away, at his bar, was Atkinson, cops said.
Atkinson exiting a bar after the alleged hit-and-run (Dayton Police).
Bodycam showed him walking out of the bar with his hands up as police asked him if he was the owner of the Hummer parked in the lot. He was wearing a black T-shirt shirt depicting a skeleton pointing a handgun and a slogan that reads “Support Your Local Outlaws.”
Atkinson being arrested (Dayton Police).
“Yes,” he said.
After one bystander could be heard saying, “I hope you go to jail for a long time, buddy,” and another said his “judgment day is coming,” Atkinson appeared to respond, “I’m sorry.”
He then made incriminating statements about being “impaired” and “drunk.”
“Oh f— that, I’m already impaired,” he said at one point. “I already know that.”
“You know what? F— it, I’m drunk. I’ll admit it,” Atkinson said at another. “I own a bar.”
Between the comments on video and the alleged BAC after the incident, Atkinson seems to have a steep hill to climb in combating the aggravated vehicular assault, child endangering, and operating a vehicle while under the influence case. As of Thursday, Montgomery County Jail records show that Atkinson is still in custody after being booked in the early morning hours of July 23.
As recently as four days ago, a post on the bar’s Facebook page alluded to the “unfortunate events” and said the defendant’s ex-wife is taking over and reopening.
A GoFundMe started for Ashley and her family in early August provided an update on her “unexpected and challenging journey after the tragic accident,” including “numerous surgeries and a long road to recovery[.]”
A message attributed to Carlos Escalante expressed thanks “infinitely” to all for their prayers and donations.
“As soon as Ashley recovers you will be able to see her again very grateful for your well wishes and sincere love,” the message said.
Jerry Lambe contributed to this report.
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