AMHERST, Ohio — Family, friends and animal advocacy groups are calling for additional charges against a man accused in a drunk driving crash that seriously injured a woman and killed her dog.
On Dec. 20, Jess Paige was walking her dog Ishe in their Amherst neighborhood when police said they were struck by a suspected drunk driver near the intersection of North Quarry Road and Rome Beauty Drive.
Jess’s brother, Bill Podomnik, said Jess broke her hip, back, four ribs, both ankles and suffered a fractured skull that led to bleeding in her brain. She’s still recovering from the serious injuries.
“It’s only by the grace of God that she’s still alive,” he said.
Ishe, Jess’s beloved dog, did not survive the crash.
“Ishe and her were inseparable. She was a vegetarian, but she would buy meat and take it home and cook it for the dogs. She just loved her dogs,” said Julie Podomnik, Jess’s sister-in-law.
Bill added, “For someone to inflict this much harm on a family… We had no Christmas or New Year’s this year.”
The couple said the 64-year-old had recently retired and planned to visit national parks with Ishe. Jess rescued all of her pets, including Ishe, and spent her time volunteering with Lorain County animal rescues.
After the crash, some of those organizations said they wanted to advocate for Jess and her dog.
“I mean that’s just a horrible way to lose your best friend,” said Candi Rogers, the president and founder of the Lorain County Pit Crew.
The organization teamed up with the Lorain County Dog Kennel to write a letter to the county prosecutor. It comes after the suspected drunk driver, Sean Bankston, 34, was charged with aggravated vehicular assault and OVI charges in Oberlin Municipal Court.
The groups believe Bankston should also face an animal cruelty charge for the death of Ishe.
“He hurt Jess and he’s being charged for the things he did to her. What about her dog? The dog was absolutely killed. So there should be some charge specific to her dog. We’re hoping the prosecutor will at least take this into consideration,” Rogers said.
The letter points to part of Ohio Revised Code 959.131, which makes it a fifth-degree felony to “knowingly cause physical harm to a companion animal.” Rogers and others argue that Bankston knowingly put people and animals in danger when he allegedly drove drunk.
“He knew that when he was impaired and getting behind the wheel that he was taking a chance on hurting himself, hurting other humans, hurting animals,” said Rogers.
The organizations cited a similar application of the law in a 2024 case in Dayton. In that instance, they said a driver fleeing police struck and killed a cat and later faced an animal cruelty charge.
Rogers said the letter has garnered numerous signatures from supporters around the state.
Likewise, the Podomniks said they’ve also seen an outpouring of support for Jess and Ishe. That includes an online fundraiser, which has raised thousands of dollars.
After Julie posted a photo on social media of a green porch light, her sister-in-law’s favortie color, she said other neighbors and strangers in Amherst and beyond have also lit green lights in Jess’s honor.
“It’s just a senseless crime. I think all of us feel that way, regardless of who we are, that it’s just senseless,” she said.
She said many are now hoping for accountability for the crash that injured Jess and killed Ishe.
“We just don’t want this to happen to anybody else. We do want to see justice, justice for Jess, justice for Ishe,” said Julie.
News 5 reached out to the Lorain County Prosecutor for comment on Tuesday, but did not receive a response at the time of this article’s publication. As of Tuesday evening, charges have not been filed against Bankston in the Lorain Common Court of Common Pleas.
Catherine Ross is the Lorain County reporter at News 5 Cleveland. Follow her on X @CatherineRossTV, on Facebook CatherineRossTV or email her at Catherine.Ross@wews.com.
