WESTON—Five adults now face charges in connection with a July 10 fight involving juveniles at Weston Cemetery, according to court records reported by 13 ABC and the Sentinel-Tribune. Investigators allege that adults at the scene encouraged the fighting instead of stopping it, and two teens were taken to the hospital.


What Is Alleged


According to 13 ABC, two groups of juveniles either arranged to meet at the cemetery on Van Tassel Road or were brought there by adults, and a physical fight followed. The station reported that two teenagers were hospitalized and released the same day. One teen had a seizure after a head injury, and another was struck by a vehicle, the station said.

A detective with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office told 13 ABC that video of the incident shows a large group of juveniles and adults involved in the fight. The cause of the initial dispute among the youths has not been made public, according to Local 12.


The Charges


Rachel Bell Ankney, 41, of Weston, is charged with endangering children and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child, according to court documents cited by 13 ABC and Local 12. Court documents allege she encouraged the children to fight, did not stop the fighting and left children at the scene without getting them care.

Dustin Lee Willmarth of Bowling Green was indicted by a Wood County grand jury on one count of felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and one count of endangering children, a first-degree misdemeanor, according to the Sentinel-Tribune’s report on the grand jury’s August 19 indictments. The newspaper reported that deputies responded to a report of a large fight at the cemetery, that a witness saw Willmarth striking and kicking juveniles, and that video showed him hitting a 13-year-old with his vehicle as he left. The child’s injuries were described as minor in that report. Court documents cited by 13 ABC allege he brought two boys to the fight.

Three more adults, Makayla Swank, Cruzito Garcia and Jessica Dennis, are each charged with disorderly conduct, 13 ABC reported. The station did not report their ages or hometowns.

  • Rachel Bell Ankney: endangering children; contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child
  • Dustin Lee Willmarth: felonious assault (second-degree felony); endangering children (first-degree misdemeanor)
  • Makayla Swank, Cruzito Garcia, Jessica Dennis: disorderly conduct

According to 13 ABC, all five have pleaded not guilty. Charges are accusations, not findings of guilt, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. No trial dates had been reported as of this writing.


Cemetery Concerns at Council


Problems at the cemetery have also come up at Village Council. At the July 20 meeting, Council discussed stepping up patrols at Village cemeteries after dark. On August 3, members raised reports of ATVs and dirt bikes in the cemetery, along with disrespectful behavior and littering, and the sheriff’s deputy said patrols near the cemetery would increase, especially after 7 p.m., according to the official minutes.

Sources: 13 ABC (Sept. 10) · 13 ABC (Sept. 8) · Sentinel-Tribune · Local 12 · Aug. 3 council meeting video