An Ohio woman accused of running over her allegedly abusive husband in front of their daughters will not be charged with the man's death.
Angela Luke, 40, pleaded not guilty on Monday to aggravated vehicular homicide and reckless homicide after authorities say she fatally struck Daniel Luke, 42, while driving away from their Lancaster, Ohio, home, Sunday night.
Luke's 12-year-old and 8-year-old daughters were in the car at the time. Her older daughter had called 911 minutes before, asking for help because their dad was allegedly assaulting their mom. The girl then said their father was holding onto their car as they tried to escape, reported NBC affiliate WCMH in Columbus.
On Tuesday, Fairfield County prosecutors dropped the charges, saying the case required further investigation.
Luke, a school teacher, was suspended from the Pickerington Local School District during the investigation, initially without pay, WCMH said. On Wednesday, the district agreed to pay her during the suspension after reviewing the 911 call.
The 911 call lasted for 17 minutes, WCMH reported. About 10 minutes in, Luke's daughter is heard saying "Go fast, Mommy," according to the Columbus Dispatch. Seconds later, a second child says, "Mommy, stop," the paper reported. The 12-year-old then tells the 911 dispatcher that her father had fallen off the car.
“Angela has been a highly regarded teacher for 11 years,” Superintendent Valerie Browning-Thompson said, reported WCMH. “As such, her friends and colleagues are understandably concerned for both her well-being and the welfare of her children. We are keeping them, as well as the family of Mr. Luke, in our thoughts and prayers.”
