Greene County residents received an update on a tragic May crash that claimed the life of utility worker Timothy Knepple. Joshua Griggs, the driver who struck Knepple’s work truck on Upper Bellbrook Road in Sugarcreek Township, has entered a plea agreement and will be sentenced next month.

Plea agreement details

According to court documents, Griggs’ attorney, Adam Arnold, confirmed that Griggs will plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter. The agreement also calls for the dismissal of a separate misdemeanor charge of vehicular homicide and a traffic citation related to the crash.

The prosecution and defense have agreed that Griggs’ punishment will be probation, rather than incarceration. Arnold described the incident as “an unfortunate accident” and emphasized that Griggs is “very upset about it and is extremely remorseful about the entire situation and wants to close the chapter and start to reconstruct and move on with his life.”

What happened on Upper Bellbrook Road

In May, Knepple, a 25‑year‑old contractor for Spectrum, was performing utility pole maintenance on Upper Bellbrook Road. Ohio State Highway Patrol reports indicate that Knepple’s work truck was parked in the roadway when Griggs’ vehicle rear‑ended it. The impact threw Knepple from the raised bucket of his truck, and he was taken to a local hospital where he later died.

Knepple, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, was working for Spectrum at the time of the accident. His death has deeply affected the local community and the utility workforce.

Next steps

The next court appearance for Griggs is scheduled for next month, when a judge will formally accept the plea agreement and impose the agreed‑upon probation sentence. The sentencing hearing will provide final closure for the families and coworkers of the deceased utility worker.

Local officials and the utility company have not issued additional statements beyond the information provided by Griggs’ attorney.

Community response

Residents of Greene County have expressed sympathy for Knepple’s family and concern for road safety in the area. While the plea agreement resolves the criminal case, many hope that the incident will prompt renewed attention to traffic safety measures, especially in zones where work trucks are stationed.

Original reporting: WHIO-TV Dayton (local) — read the source article.