Charges dropped against teacher in husband's car strike death

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A central Ohio school district has reinstated a second-grade teacher after charges were dropped against her in her husband's car strike death.

David Ball, spokesman for the Pickerington Local School District in suburban Columbus, says 40-year-old Angela Luke was reinstated Thursday. She was suspended after being charged with aggravated vehicular homicide and reckless homicide in the death of 42-year-old Daniel Luke on Sunday night.

Court records posted online Wednesday night showed the charges had been dropped, CBS affiliate WBNS reported.

Daniel Luke died after he was struck by a car driven by his wife in the driveway of their home near Canal Winchester. A dramatic 911 call made by their 12-year-old daughter who was in the car describes them trying to get away from her violent father. She said her mother accidentally hit her father with the car.

According to the 911 call, obtained by WBNS, Angela Luke's 12-year-old daughter can be heard pleading with her father to stop assaulting her mother. The child can be heard saying "He's hitting my mom and he's pinning her to the ground! And he won't leave her alone, and he's yelling at her."

Angela Luke says her husband was holding onto the car as she tried to drive away with her 8- and 12-year-old daughters.

Pickerington Local School District initially said Luke was placed on unpaid suspension "because reckless homicide is on a list of the Ohio Revised Code's 'irrevocable offenses' that could result in her teaching license to be revoked," reported WBNS.

But Wednesday evening, the district said it would reinstate Luke's pay "following a review of the 911 call, discussions with district legal counsel and the Ohio Department of Education, and consultation with the district board of education," reports the station.

They say she can return to work when she's ready, describing the incident as "a tragedy for Angela, her family, and the family of her late husband."

An investigation is continuing. Prosecutors could seek a grand jury indictment later.