News footage of Rushon Patterson in court on Sept. 15 (WOIO).
A youth pastor in Ohio is facing serious charges, including vehicular homicide, after a tragic incident involving a church van led to the death of a young congregation member.
Rushon Patterson II, 26, serves as the youth pastor at Alive Now Church in Canton, as reported by local CBS station WOIO. On September 6, Patterson was behind the wheel of a church-owned van when he reportedly permitted multiple teenagers to ride on its exterior. A police report obtained by WOIO indicates that when a pothole was spotted, most of the teens jumped from the van.
One boy, however, never saw the pothole. When Patterson drove over it, the boy was reportedly thrown from the van and hit his head.
One police report details that a boy was “ejected” as the van encountered the pothole, striking his head on the pavement, which caused injuries leading to his death.
Patterson faces charges of vehicular homicide and child endangerment. During a court appearance on Monday, his bail was set at $1 million cash, with a judge noting that the bond would be reconsidered at a Wednesday status conference. Patterson remains in custody at the Stark County Jail.
WOIO has verified that the Ford van was the property of Alive Now Church. The station further confirmed Patterson’s position as a youth pastor and acknowledged that the victim was connected to the church community. No additional comments were given by the Alive Now Church.
