Witnesses have described the moments surrounding the fatal crash that killed Hamilton County Sheriff’s Deputy Larry Henderson Jr. as the trial of Rodney Hinton Jr. continues in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Hinton, 40, is accused of intentionally driving his vehicle into Henderson on May 2, 2025, while the deputy was directing traffic near the University of Cincinnati during graduation weekend.

The trial has brought emotional testimony, new video evidence and competing accounts of the collision. Prosecutors argue that Hinton deliberately targeted the deputy, while his defense says he was experiencing severe mental illness and extreme emotional distress after his 18-year-old son, Ryan Hinton, was fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer the previous day.

Hinton has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury must determine whether the prosecution can prove its case and whether the defense’s insanity argument applies.

WITNESSES DESCRIBE THE MOMENTS BEFORE THE CRASH
During testimony on October 8 and 9, witnesses recalled seeing a vehicle accelerate toward the intersection where Henderson was working.

Several witnesses said they did not observe the car braking before the collision.

One witness testified that the vehicle appeared to be heading toward Henderson and a nearby light pole. Another offered a different account, saying the car struck the pole before moving sideways and hitting the deputy.

That testimony became an important point of disagreement between the prosecution and defense.

The defense has emphasized the possibility that the vehicle’s initial impact with the pole affected its direction, challenging the claim that Hinton deliberately aimed at Henderson.

Prosecutors, meanwhile, have presented witness accounts and video evidence to support their argument that the collision was intentional.

The jury will have to evaluate the competing accounts alongside the physical evidence.

ONE WITNESS SAYS THE CAR HIT A POLE FIRST
Patricia Povlitz, who was visiting Cincinnati to help her daughter move, testified that she saw Hinton’s vehicle strike a light pole before hitting Henderson.

She described the car hitting the pole and then bouncing to the left, where the deputy was standing.

The defense highlighted her account during questioning, arguing that it raised questions about whether Henderson was the intended target.

However, other evidence presented at trial addressed the vehicle’s speed, direction and the position of the deputy when the collision occurred.

Cincinnati police traffic investigator Mike Flamm also walked jurors through photographs of the scene, explaining where the car struck the pole and where Henderson had been standing.

Investigators described damage to the pole and the vehicle, along with markings showing how the car moved after impact.

The physical evidence is expected to be central to the jury’s assessment of what happened.

NEW VIDEO TRACKS HINTON’S ROUTE
Investigators have reviewed hundreds of video recordings as part of the case.

Lead homicide detective Carl Beebe testified that he examined approximately 400 pieces of video evidence and compiled selected footage into a presentation lasting about 15 minutes.

The recordings included footage from police cameras, city surveillance systems, school cameras and other locations along the route Hinton took before reaching the intersection.

The video showed Hinton leaving police headquarters and traveling through Cincinnati before the crash.

Investigators used the recordings to reconstruct his movements and compare the footage with witness accounts.

Beebe testified that Hinton’s driving did not appear erratic or involve obvious traffic violations during much of the route before he reached the intersection.

The defense has questioned whether the recordings establish that Hinton deliberately targeted Henderson.

Beebe acknowledged that video could not reveal Hinton’s thoughts directly, leaving the question of intent to be determined from the totality of the evidence.

THE INVESTIGATION CHANGED AFTER POLICE LEARNED WHO HINTON WAS
According to Beebe’s testimony, investigators initially approached the incident as a serious traffic collision.

The direction of the investigation changed after detectives learned that Hinton was the father of Ryan Hinton, who had been fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer the previous day.

Authorities began examining whether the two events were connected.

Ryan’s death had occurred on May 1, 2025. The shooting was later deemed justified.

On the day of the fatal crash, Rodney Hinton and members of his family had visited police headquarters to view body-camera footage related to Ryan’s death.

Prosecutors argue that the timing and circumstances provide evidence of a possible motive.

The defense says Hinton was overwhelmed by grief and suffering from a serious mental illness that affected his ability to understand his actions.

Those competing explanations are at the center of the trial.

HINTON’S FAMILY DESCRIBES HIS EMOTIONAL STATE
Hinton’s cousin, Monique Gilliam, testified about his behavior after the family watched the body-camera footage.

She described him as quiet, withdrawn and deeply distressed.

Gilliam said family members had been concerned about his emotional condition and followed him as he traveled away from police headquarters.

She testified that she and another relative remained behind him because they were worried about his safety.

According to her account, Hinton later rested at her home before saying he wanted to return home to see his wife and children.

Gilliam said she no longer believed he was at risk of harming himself when they resumed following him.

She was behind his vehicle when the crash occurred.

Her testimony is relevant to both sides: prosecutors can use the timeline to establish Hinton’s movements, while the defense can point to her description of his emotional state as part of its argument about his mental condition.

THE DEFENSE FOCUSES ON MENTAL ILLNESS
Hinton’s attorney, Clyde Bennett, has argued that his client had a long history of serious mental illness, including psychosis.

The defense says the news of Ryan’s death and the experience of watching the body-camera footage triggered an extreme psychological crisis.

Bennett has argued that Hinton’s condition affected his ability to understand or control his behavior at the time of the collision.

The defense’s plea of not guilty by reason of insanity means the jury must consider the relevant legal standard, not simply whether Hinton was grieving or had a history of mental-health problems.

Prosecutors dispute the defense’s interpretation.

They argue that Hinton acted intentionally and that emotional distress alone does not excuse the alleged conduct.

The jury will hear evidence from witnesses and experts before deciding whether the legal requirements for the insanity defense have been met.

DEPUTY HENDERSON’S WIDOW TESTIFIES
The trial has also included emotional testimony from Henderson’s wife, Lori Henderson.

She described the last moments she shared with her husband before he left for work on May 2, 2025.

Henderson had been assigned to direct traffic during the University of Cincinnati’s graduation weekend.

His wife recalled exchanging affectionate words and sharing a hug before he left the house.

The testimony offered jurors a personal account of the deputy’s final morning and the impact his death had on his family.

Henderson had served in law enforcement for decades and was working a traffic assignment when the collision occurred.

His widow was present in court as witnesses described the crash and investigators explained the evidence.

MEDICAL EXPERTS EXPLAIN THE FATAL INJURIES
Jurors also heard testimony from medical experts who examined Henderson’s injuries.

Dr. Karen Looman, Hamilton County’s chief deputy coroner, discussed the findings from the autopsy.

The cause of death was determined to be blunt-force injuries to the head and torso.

A forensic pathologist also testified about the injuries and the determination that Henderson’s death was a homicide.

The testimony prompted emotional reactions in the courtroom, with some people leaving during portions of the evidence presentation.

The medical findings establish the nature of the injuries, while the jury must separately determine the circumstances of the collision and whether Hinton bears criminal responsibility.

WHAT HAPPENED TO RYAN HINTON?
The case cannot be fully understood without the events of May 1, 2025, when Ryan Hinton, 18, was fatally shot by a Cincinnati police officer.

The shooting occurred before the collision that killed Henderson.

Authorities later determined that the officer’s use of force was justified.

Ryan’s death became a central part of the defense’s account of his father’s emotional condition in the hours before the crash.

Prosecutors have also used the sequence of events to explain why they believe Hinton may have had a motive to target a law-enforcement officer.

However, the fact that Ryan was killed the previous day does not by itself establish why the subsequent collision occurred.

The jury must decide the criminal case against Rodney Hinton based on the evidence presented in court.

THE TRIAL COULD LAST SEVERAL WEEKS
The trial began in October 2026, following jury selection and pretrial proceedings.

Prosecutors have indicated that they expect to present substantial video evidence and testimony from numerous witnesses.

The defense is expected to continue challenging the prosecution’s account and presenting evidence about Hinton’s mental health.

The case includes one murder charge and two felonious-assault charges, according to reporting ahead of trial. The capital charges initially filed against Hinton were later dropped.

Hinton remains presumed innocent unless the prosecution proves the charges under the applicable legal standard.

WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
As testimony continues, jurors will have to weigh eyewitness accounts, video recordings, the physical evidence from the crash scene and expert testimony about Hinton’s mental condition.

One of the central disputes is whether the vehicle’s path demonstrates an intentional attack or whether the defense’s account of Hinton’s mental state creates reasonable doubt under the law.

The testimony about the car striking the pole before Henderson, the reconstruction of Hinton’s route and the evidence about his behavior that day may all become important to that determination.

No final verdict had been announced in the latest report available for this article.

For Henderson’s family, the proceedings have brought painful details about his final moments into public view. For Hinton, the trial will determine whether he is criminally responsible for the deputy’s death.

The jury’s task is to assess the evidence rather than rely on public speculation about the case.

SOURCES
FOX19 — Witnesses Describe Crash That Killed Hamilton County Deputy in Trial of Man Accused of His Murder