Meteorologist Steve Raleigh learns fate after wild video showed his son in violent parking lot confrontation with elderly couple
Meteorologist Steve Raleigh will not face charges after a wild video captured his son in a violent parking lot confrontation with an elderly couple.
Meteorologist Steve Raleigh will not face charges after a wild video captured his son in a violent parking lot confrontation with an elderly couple.
Prosecutors determined Monday that the veteran Ohio weatherman did not break the law during the road rage incident at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse parking lot on June 22 in Cincinnati.
Raleigh, a forecaster for WCPO TV, was with sons Kyle and Carter when their Cadillac Escalade plowed into a Ford F-150 after failing to yield to oncoming traffic.
Moments later the Ford driver, Douglas Morrow, 79, was on the ground next to his wife Lois, 76, who suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and a detached retina.
Pressure quickly grew on the Cincinnati Police Department to explain why there were no arrests since the incident, but now, Clermont County Prosecuting Attorney Mark Tekulve said Raleigh has been cleared from the investigation.
WCPO TV Meteorologist Steve Raleigh will not face charges after a wild video captured his son in a violent parking lot confrontation with an elderly couple
Prosecutors determined that the veteran Ohio weatherman (far left) did not break the law during the road rage incident at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse parking lot on June 22 in Cincinnati
During the course of this investigation, it has been determined that criminal charges are not warranted against Mr. Steve Raleigh, as there is no evidence that he violated any criminal law. Accordingly, as to Mr. Steve Raleigh, this investigation is closed, Tekulve.
Prosecutors are expected to present evidence to the Hamilton County Grand Jury regarding the other individuals involved in the violent incident, Tekulve noted.
The Cadillac involved in the confrontation is owned by the weathermans father-in-law, former Hamilton County sheriff and attorney Simon L Leis, Jr.
Carter, 28, is thought to have been driving his grandfathers car when it hit the Morrows car that day.
Stacey, the elderly couples daughter, previously said the famous family became enraged when her father decided to call police because he smelled alcohol and suspected they had been drinking.
These were locally famous people and in my opinion believe they are above the law, Stacey, who posted video of the incident, wrote online.
The Ford driver, Douglas Morrow, 79, was on the ground next to his wife Lois, 76, who suffered a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and a detached retina. (pictured: The Morrow couple)
I 100 per cent believe one more hit would have killed her, she said in regard to her mother Lois.
During the clash Red Sox legend Kevin Youkilis was seen intervening.
The grainy footage showed a woman repeatedly calling Stop! before Raleigh, dressed in a red Hawaiian shirt, pushed someone away.
Someone call 911 please, the woman pleaded as the camera panned across the prostrate 79-year-old clutching his head.
His unconscious wife then came into frame as a male voice was heard yelling: That is f***ing ridiculous.
A man thought to be Raleigh was then seen over the floored pensioner before saying: Kevin listen to me, f*** that, f*** that.
Youkilis then bent over Lois to check on her condition as another voice was heard yelling: Dude are you serious he hit a f***ing woman. Shes pouring blood.
Youre an embarrassment to that f***ing Red Sox brand, someone shouted.
Go back to Boston.
In her Facebook post, Stacey said her mother took the brunt of the injuries during the scuffle.
My mom took the brunt of the injuries that night. She was in UC hospital for a few days and is still continuing to be treated.
She was knocked unconscious and had a concussion, fractured skull, bleeding on the brain, contusion on the back of her head that was stapled shut and the lens that was put in her eye was detached and needs to be replaced. She had lots of cuts and bruises to her arms and legs.
Raleigh is seen arguing with Youkilis in the video, urging him to f*** that while Lois laid on the ground
Lois was left unconscious with a fractured skull, bleeding on the brain and a detached retina after the incident
My dad also had a concussion and was knocked unconscious. I am not gonna say who was responsible until they are arrested and charged as I dont want to hurt the case.
I just want all the witnesses to come forward and any videos that were made because there were lots of witnesses, she said.
After, Youkilis took to Facebook to deny rumors he had been with the Raleighs that evening after he was recognized in the footage, insisting he simply chanced across the incident while in town to broadcast a Red Sox-Reds game.
Unfortunately, I was a little too late and saw a horrible chain of events unfold, he explained.
My intentions after what I witnessed was to help the two individuals on the ground and to protect anyone else from being harmed.
I snapped a little bit after what I saw and used some colorful language in the video.
In a Facebook update, Stacy thanked Youkilis for his intervention on behalf of her parents.
There were at least 50 people in the lot when this happened because it was at closing of the restaurant, she wrote. Only one, Kevin Youkilis, saved my mom and stopped this attack.
He was definitely her guardian angel that night. I also believe he was there with them but was ready to fight for her!
Raleigh was confronted in the video by Red Sox legend Kevin Youkilis (in blue) who had been dining at the same restaurant before the car crash that sparked the incident
Douglas and Lois were treated for their injuries at UC hospital, according to their daughter
The Morrows claimed that Raleigh tried to convince them not to call the police, but when they said they would, one of his sons attacked their son Troy, the couple told WKRC.
Seconds later I hear from a distance, "No one’s going to hit my dad!" I look this way [left], someone coming from this way [right] clocks me in the side of the head; I stagger back; he dives on me; he was on my throat with both hands choking me, Troy said in a press conference shortly after the incident.
The couple said they then tried to get Raleighs son off of theirs, and that is when they were thrown to the pavement.
On July 12 WCPO vice president and general manager Jeff Brogan said the station was aware of the incident involving Steve Raleighs family.
Steve shared his side of the incident with our leadership. His account is consistent with the police report, which does not name him, and with what we have reviewed on video. he added in a statement.
The video does not show the incident from start to finish. We will continue to monitor official findings.
Raleigh, pictured with wife Julie Leis and sons Kyle (left) and Carter (right)
After it was announced that Raleigh would not face charges, he said he appreciates the validation.
I appreciate the validation regarding my involvement. I want to thank family, friends, colleagues, and viewers for their patience and support. I look forward to returning to work soon, he said.
After the incident Raleigh deleted his social media and vanished from the screens, but WCPO said he will soon return to his role as chief meteorologist.
An attorney for the Morrow family said: We never suspected that Steve Raleigh committed a crime. Steve exercised poor judgment and may have committed civil wrongs, but not crimes.
Stacey told FOX 19 she is not pleased about the decision to not charge Raleigh, and that she hopes his son will face consequences.
