Driver in Dancin? crash indicted on 7 charges

by Anthony Glassman

Cleveland--The man accused of crashing his car into the crowd at Dancin? in the Streets on July 29, killing two people and injuring two others, is still behind bars awaiting trial after his August 14 grand jury indictment.

Timothy Spock, 34, faces four charges of aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter, as well as two charges of aggravated vehicular assault and one of driving under the influence. He is in jail on $150,000 bond.

Police say that he had been drinking before driving through the metal barriers blocking off Clifton Boulevard for the AIDS Taskforce benefit.

Kevin Lett was treated and released on July 29, while Constance Pokorny, 25, was released from MetroHealth on August 3, suffering from a skull fracture.

Her boyfriend Mitchell Andelmo, 27, died shortly after the incident, and Basil Bass, 44, died on August 1.

Spock failed on-site sobriety tests and refused a breathalyzer. Police took him to Lakewood Hospital and, after getting a warrant, had a blood test administered. In June, Spock had been charged with disorderly conduct while intoxicated in Lakewood, and in 2009 he was convicted of child endangering while intoxicated.

Benefit for victims in September

A benefit for the victims of the crash will be held on Saturday, September 8 at the Edgewater VFW Post 387, 3580 West 140th in Cleveland. There will be performances and dancing, as well as dinner. Admission is $20, and a link to the Facebook event is in Charlie?s Calendar.

AIDS Taskforce CEO Tracy Jones was still shaken over a week later, having been the first to Andelmo?s side as he lay dying. She remembered he looked so young, so small as she tried to get him to respond and moved his hair out of his face to check his pulse.

While it is arguably the worst incident at a Cleveland LGBT event, there is at least the consolation that it does not seem to be an attack targeted at the community. Instead, it appears to be the tragic consequence of bad decision-making, and drinking and driving.

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