Seven Years Behind Bars for Man in Tragic Columbus Car Theft That Claimed Young Mother’s Life

Prison Sentence Handed Down in Franklin County Court

A Columbus man will spend the next seven years in prison for his role in a deadly car theft that claimed the life of 29-year-old Alexa Stakely and left her six-year-old son with an unthinkable trauma.
Gerald Dowling was sentenced Thursday morning in a Franklin County courtroom after previously pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the case that shook the southeast side of the city last summer.

A Night That Turned into a Nightmare

Alexa Stakely, a speech therapist in Canal Winchester, was also working extra shifts as a restaurant server to help make ends meet. On the night of the incident, she had just picked up her young son from a sitter and pulled into her home. She placed him safely in the backseat, left the car running, and dashed inside to grab her phone charger.

In those brief moments, prosecutors say three teenagers targeted her vehicle. Stakely tried to stop them, jumping onto the hood of the car. She was thrown off and sustained fatal injuries. Her son, still seated in the back, witnessed the entire tragedy.

Judge Condemns Circumstances and Choices

Franklin County Judge Chris Brown called the incident a tragedy that should never have happened — not only because of the theft, but because Stakely was in a position where she needed two jobs just to survive.

“The fact that Miss Stakely worked as a public educator and still had to work a side job is absolutely disgraceful,” the judge said. He also directly addressed Dowling’s choices that night: “You are the adult. You could have walked away. You could have said, ‘No man, don’t do that.’”

Dowling’s Role in the Crime

Prosecutors stated that Dowling did not physically enter the stolen car but was helping scout vehicles for theft. The court emphasized that his role still carried responsibility for the events that unfolded.

Dowling told the court that guilt has haunted him since that night, saying, “It’s very sad and unfortunate that someone lost their life. Those were never my intentions. This is what’s haunted me every day.”

A Family’s Loss and Forgiveness

In the courtroom, emotions ran deep as Alexa’s younger brother, Braedyn Price, addressed Dowling directly.

“That little boy… he’s never going to see his mom again,” Price said. “But I came here today to tell you that I forgive you. I hope you have the humanity to say that this shouldn’t happen to anyone’s family ever again.”