Arrest made in University Heights deadly crash that killed 2 people

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) - University Heights Police announced they have made an arrest in a fiery crash that killed two people over the Memorial Day Weekend.

Police said Saturday around 430pm they received a call for a vehicle that crashed into a utility pole and caught fire near Cedar and Brockway Roads.

When officers arrived on the scene they found two vehicles, one on top of the other, on fire next to a utility pole.

An alleged pedestrian, who sustained significant injuries to his leg and hands, was located on a front lawn of a nearby home and was being treated by a Good Samaritan, according to police.

University Heights and Cleveland Heights fire departments responded to the scene and extinguished the fire.

Each vehicle had one unidentified deceased person inside.

The alleged pedestrian was treated and transported by University Heights Fire Department paramedics to the University Hospital.

On Tuesday, the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office made positive identification of both victims 20-year-old Marlon Emory of South Euclid and 57-year-old John Robert Nelson Jr. from Akron, OH.

The family of victim John Robert Nelson Jr. issued a statement saying in part:

Our father, John Robert Nelson Jr., was a beloved figure in our family and the Cleveland Heights community. His sudden and untimely passing has left a void that cannot be filled. He was a man of integrity, kindness, and compassion, and his legacy will continue to inspire those who knew him.

We are grateful for the swift action of the University Heights Police Department in their investigation of this incident. We trust in the justice system and hope that it will serve to prevent such tragic incidents in the future.

In this time of mourning, we kindly request privacy to grieve and remember our father as we navigate this difficult time. We appreciate the outpouring of support and condolences we have received thus far.

- His Son’s, Carl, John III, and Demetrius Nelson

Following an investigation, it was determined that the alleged pedestrian victim was the driver of the vehicle that victim Marlon Emory was located in. UHPD arrested 19-year-old Khaleel Johnson of South Euclid, at University Hospitals Main Campus.

Johnson was charged with two counts of Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and was taken to the Solon Jail.

On Wednesday, Johnson appeared in Shaker Heights Municipal Court and waived a preliminary hearing. The case was bound over to the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Grand Jury.

Johnson’s bond was set at $200,000.