Hillsboro man sentenced to 18 years to life in murder case

A Hillsboro man was sentenced to 18 years to life in prison Monday afternoon after pleading guilty to the May 31 murder of a man in the parking lot of a Hillsboro business.

As previously reported, Javen Austin Meadows, 23, was indicted by a Highland County grand jury in July and was charged with two counts of murder, an unclassified felony; one count of attempted murder, a first-degree felony; two counts of felonious assault, both second-degree felonies; one count of strangulation, a fourth-degree felony; and a forfeiture specification.

During a plea hearing Monday, Aug. 10, which was originally scheduled as a pretrial, Meadows pleaded guilty to one of the murder charges and to one of the felonious assault charges. 

The other felony counts were dismissed. However, as Highland County Prosecutor Anneka Collins pointed out during Monday’s hearing, the murder charges would have merged, as would the attempted murder charge with one of the two felonious assault charges.

“That is part of how we came up with the agreement we came up with,” Collins said. “The other part of how we came up with the agreement we came up with is simply that victims two and three in this case … were extremely understanding and wanted to get this behind them. I just want to make that clear that definitely they’re owed gratitude by the defendant for being so understanding.”

The murder charge alleged that on or about May 31, Meadows “did purposely cause the death” of a victim. For the felonious assault charge, 
Meadows was accused of “causing or attempting to cause physical harm” to a second victim “by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous ordnance,” a truck he was allegedly operating.

As reported by www.fox19.com, court records said that Meadows entered a South High Street business in a Ford F-150 just after 2:30 a.m. May 31, ramming another truck before parking. Meadows allegedly exited the vehicle and went over to the truck he hit, before grabbing a woman by the neck and throwing her to the ground, the report said.

As Meadows drove off, he allegedly ran over and fatally injured a 49-year-old man who was attempting to intervene, police said.

“I did read the affidavit from the Municipal Court, and it appears [the murder victim] was just an innocent bystander who happened to be there at the time this was taking place,” Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss said. 

Collins agreed, confirming that the victim “had no contact” with Meadows prior to the incident.

“There is crystal clear video of this incident, actually, probably the best video I’ve seen in 20-plus years,” Collins said. “[The murder victim and his child] are leaving [the business]. They see what’s taking place in the parking lot. They both jump out, leave their doors open and run over to assist [the female victim]. 

“At that point, the defendant jumps in his truck, makes a very short turn and just runs over [the murder victim] and kills him.”

Before proceeding with sentencing, Judge Coss heard from Collins and Meadows’ attorney, Lewis Dye of Columbus, as well as from the murder victim’s wife and from Meadows himself. 

Collins began by thanking investigators and counsel for the “efficient” resolution to the case, as the plea hearing took place just over one month after the indictment was handed down.

“This case was handled in a very efficient manner, and I do appreciate that, and I know that the families of all three victims appreciate that,” Collins said. “While it’s going to take a long time for them to move on, this is the first step in that.

“The reason that we were able to handle this case so quickly, so efficiently, is definitely the work of [Hillsboro Police Department] Detective [Brian] Butler, who put a huge case together with three victims and a lot of moving parts, in a very short amount of time and had all of the evidence ready to present to the defense as soon as the case was indicted, so we do appreciate that.”

However, Collins also acknowledged the impact of the offenses before introducing the murder victim’s wife. 

“There is a family here that is left without their loved one,” Collins said. “The actions of this young man on the day in question left [the murder victim’s wife] a widow at a very, very young age.” 

The murder victim’s wife addressed the court next, crying as she addressed Meadows.

“Javen, you took the act that I will never forget that early Sunday morning,” she said. “You took away my husband, my best friend, my kids’ father, all over your passions. 

“Now we have to learn to live without him. My husband didn’t deserve this.”

Dye spoke on his client’s behalf, acknowledging that Meadows “wrecked the lives” of the victims and families as well as his own life but calling attention to his otherwise “exemplary” record.

“He’s a young man,” Dye said. “He’s never been in any kind of trouble. He’s 23 years old. Other than this one bad evening, he was an exemplary citizen.

“I believe he’s sincere about rehabilitating himself, never touching alcohol again. I believe alcohol was a real contributing factor in this.”

Dye also pointed out that Meadows “is admitting what he did and is willing to take responsibility for his actions.

“Even though it’s not going to help [the murder victim’s] family or bring [the murder victim] back, he is here. In light of this tragedy, he’s done everything to make it as easy on everybody, to own up to what he did, and I believe he’s going to be a model inmate when he goes to prison.”

Meadows was the final individual to address the court.

“I would just like to apologize for my actions, very selfish,” Meadows said. “I did not mean to hit him. 

“I don’t really know what to say besides I’m sorry. I did not mean to do what I did. I’m owning up to what I did. Can’t bring him back.” 

Coss sentenced Meadows to a definite determinate term of 15 years to life on the murder charge, consecutive to three years on the felonious assault charge, for a total of 18 years to life. The Reagan Tokes Law applies to the felonious assault charge only and could add an additional 18 months in prison.

“It’s a real tragedy here that was caused by what was basically, in my judgment, an act of uncontrollable rage,” Coss said. 

Coss also referred to the incident as “an unspeakable violent act.

“Your redeeming feature for you — and again, it doesn’t bring any comfort to anyone in the victim’s family — is that you have acknowledged what you did and stepped up and have done it in a pretty prompt manner,” Coss told Meadows. “It’s a shame that your first offense is such as an unspeakable event. 

“I’m sure that will be present with you, but it will also always be present with the victim’s family and friends and the people that he’s left behind, and also with [the female victim]. She was also attacked violently, and that’s what really caused the event that led to [the male victim’s] death.”

Meadows had 72 days of jail time credit. Coss also ordered that all firearms removed from Meadows’ home by the Highland County Sheriff’s Office may be returned to the defendant’s father.