Butler County sentenced the driver who struck and killed a 15-year-old Lakota student in a crosswalk on Wednesday.
Butler County Area II Court Judge Kevin McDonough sentenced Kaitlyn Hyde to 30 days in the Butler County Jail, followed by 60 days of house arrest and two years on probation.
He also ordered her to complete 250 hours of community service, pay $1,174.75 in restitution, and have her license suspended for the next five years.
In October, Hyde entered a plea of guilty to a misdemeanor charge of vehicular homicide and received an immediate conviction.
She will start her jail sentence on January 3 at 8 a.m.
“I just want to apologise for the entire situation, for the accident, and to his family for causing so much hurt and loss. And I’m just so sorry for Aspen’s loss,” Hyde said during her hearing on Wednesday.
According to the crash report, Hyde was driving a blue 2007 GMC Sierra pickup truck on eastbound Bethany Road, speeding an estimated 10 miles per hour over the 20 mph school zone limit, when he collided with Aspen Dylan Runnels in a crosswalk.
It happened on May 15, just minutes after classes ended at 2:10 p.m.
The Butler County Sheriff’s crash report states that the driver was preoccupied with adjusting her child’s dummy.
Aspen died the following week at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Centre in Avondale.
His mother, Christina Alcorn, and father both spoke to the court before the judge announced Hyde’s sentence.
His mother stated that he was a member of the color guard, a volunteer at the Edge Teen Center on Wyandot Road (where he was walking after school when he was killed), and an advocate for mental health services and the LGBTQ+ community.
“What you didn’t read in the news is exactly how devastating it is to lose a child as special as Aspen,” she told the audience.
“To get up in the morning and not have him there chattering before you’ve had your coffee; to drive in the car and remember every piece of advice you ever gave him about driving.
The anticipation of getting his own license soon; to sit in the living room at the dining room table or at a table at your favorite restaurant and stare at an empty chair; to be brought to tears in the grocery store simply because you accidentally grabbed enough green beans for three people instead These are just a few minor daily reminders that my family and I have been dealing with since May.”
After spending ten days in the hospital’s pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Alcorn informed the court that Aspen’s injuries were fatal.
“You see, the defendant didn’t just take his life; she stole his future, my only child, the continuation of my family lineage, and my best friend,” Aspen’s mother claimed.
His family requested that Hyde’s community service involve her working with children who have suffered traumatic brain injuries similar to those that killed Aspen.
Aspen’s father, Steven Runnels, addressed Hyde directly in court.
“It will never be simple for him not to be present. “In due course, I will find true forgiveness for you in my heart,” he told her.
“I hope you take advantage of any opportunities that come your way to do good and improve the lives of others. We will judge you for your actions from now on.
This is where you can change your life consciously or unconsciously. Never give up on yourself. My son would not have wanted that for you.”
Driver has history of at-fault-crashes
This was Hyde’s third at-fault accident since 2017, according to her driving record with the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
According to a copy of the report, the most recent crash before this one occurred on December 9, 2022, in Springboro, Warren County.
According to police and court records, Hyde was driving a black 2006 Chevrolet Cavalier sedan on West Central Avenue, passing Greenwood Lane, when she failed to maintain an assured clear distance on a wet road and collided with a black 2018 Chrysler Pacifica minivan from behind that had slowed for stopped traffic.
She was also cited in March 2017 for failing to maintain an assured clear distance in a crash in Hamilton while driving a lavender 1997 Toyota Corolla, according to her driving record.
In addition, according to state records, Hyde has been ticketed for speeding three times since 2016, twice on highways for driving 69 mph in a 55 mph zone and once in Hamiton for driving 51 mph in a 35 mph zone.
Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser stated that he hopes that this case will serve as a reminder to drivers to avoid distractions and focus on the road.
“Drivers must pay attention to who is ahead of them. “I’m sure the driver feels just as bad as the victim’s family; our hearts go out to them,” he said.
‘Aspen’s Law’
Since Aspen’s death, more than 2,500 people have signed a petition to “increase safety requirements for students in school zone crosswalks.”
Another petition drive is currently underway to change state law to impose harsher punishments and fines for violating school safety zones.
The petition for “Aspen’s Law” had 1,449 signatures as of Wednesday morning.
“When Aspen’s mom finally received word of the charges the driver who hit Aspen would face, it was like a smack in the face,” according to the petition!
“The driver faces a misdemeanor charge of vehicular homicide. This is not the first time a driver has struck a student in a crosswalk and fled with little repercussion for their reckless driving.
“In 2018, a student was struck by a speeding driver on West Chester Rd. while crossing in a school zone; the driver was charged with failure to yield at a crosswalk and speeding in a school zone.
“We want to change the law to impose harsher punishments and fines for breaking it in school zones. We propose treating school zone laws in the same manner as construction worker regulations.
Drivers caught speeding in a school zone should face doubled fines, and if they collide with a pedestrian in an active school zone, they should automatically face a felony.
“We will petition Ohio legislators to create Aspen’s Law, but in order to properly send the petition, we must have at least 1,000 signatures from registered Ohio voters. Please help us make a difference in memory of Aspen.”
