Kevin Grasha

kgrasha@enquirer.com

Read the latest update here.

Update, 9 a.m., Thursday: The woman accused of killing 18-year-old Madie Hart with her car pleaded not guilty at a Thursday morning arraignment.

Brianna Benson, 20, was charged with murder earlier this week and appeared via video during the hearing in front of Hamilton County Common Pleas Magistrate Michael Bachman. Benson is being held on a $1 million bond.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters during a news conference earlier in the week said Hart was hit by vehicle Benson was operating the night of March 25.

Deters showed footage from a city surveillance camera during the news conference. The car was stopped on Walnut Street, then reverses and makes a hard right turn, which is when Deters said Hart was struck. He said Hart was dragged approximately 88 feet by the car as Benson drove away.

Hart, a St. Ursula Academy graduate and student at Ohio State University, died four days after the incident.

A grand jury indicted Benson on charges of felonious assault, aggravated vehicular homicide and two counts of murder.

Previous reporting: A murder charge has been filed against Briana Benson, the woman who police said struck 18-year-old Madie Hart with a car in Downtown last month.

Hart, a St. Ursula Academy graduate and Ohio State student, spent four days in the hospital before she died as a result of her injuries.

Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters said in a news conference Monday two groups of women were fighting on the night of March 25.

"Madie Hart was knee-deep in a physical fight... there's no question," Deter said. "That does not give anyone license to run someone over."

He said Hart banged on the rear passenger side window and the hood of Benson's Nissan Sentra before she was struck.

Deters showed footage from a city surveillance camera. The car was stopped on Walnut Street, then reverses and makes a hard right turn, which is when Deters said Hart was struck. He said Hart was dragged approximately 88 feet by the car as Benson drove away.

Callers to 911 reported Hart was bleeding from her head. Deters said a passerby ran into the street assist Hart after Benson fled.

"You need to get here now. I can’t watch this," one caller told the dispatcher. “There’s people screaming in the street.”

Prior to the incident, Deters said Benson was driving around searching for Hart.

"That's not someone trying to get home to mom," Deters said.

According to the prosecutor's office, Benson was indicted on drug charges just days before the incident. Police said she was allowing her boyfriend to sell heroin from her car. Deters also said Benson has a long juvenile record and her mother once filed domestic violence charges against her.

Two other videos, including one dash camera video from an Uber driver, show the incident more clearly, Deters said. Those videos were not released. Deters argued they are not yet public record.

"It's an unimaginable way to die," he said.

Deters said alcohol was likely involved in the incident.

Benson has turned herself in Monday night. In addition to the murder charge, she was also indicted on felonious assault, aggravated vehicular homicide and failure to stop after a crash charges.

Hart was buried Wednesday. Her father, Steve Hart, said his daughter's organs saved three lives.

"Our prayers were not answered, our miracle didn't happen, but somebody else's prayers are going to be answered," Hart said. "That made us feel so much better."

The Hart family released a statement Monday thanking the Hamilton County grand jury.

"Concerning today’s indictment, it does not change that Madie’s death was a horrible tragedy," the statement said. "The grand jury’s decision will not bring our daughter back. Still, we are very appreciative of the grand jury’s thorough work."

In a news release, Deters expressed his sadness about the entire incident.

"No matter what the girls were fighting about, nobody deserved to be murdered as a result," Deters said. "Two families are now torn apart – one grieving the death of their daughter and the other family dealing with a daughter now charged with murder.”