A 20-year-old man will spend nearly 10 years in prison for his role in a crash that killed a woman riding a scooter in downtown Cleveland last summer.
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Scott Mchugh, 20, was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday after pleading guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, vehicular manslaughter and driving while under the influence.
McHugh, of Vermilion, was driving a red 2016 Chevrolet Cruze on E. 9th Street near St. Clair Avenue when he allegedly hit 21-year-old Jenasia Summers of Cleveland Heights, while she was riding an ICON Q electric scooter.
Police said McHugh was going “well over” the 25 miles per hour speed limit when he crashed into the back of Summers, sending her flying into the air, according to a police report. Summers was found “bleeding heavily from the head,” the police report said. She was taken to Metro Health Medical Center, where she later died.
McHugh told police he snorted heroin with a friend in a grocery store parking lot shortly before the crash, the report said. He was found unconscious in the car while suffering an apparent overdose.
Cleveland EMS administered Narcan to McHugh, “at which time he woke up and vomited on himself,” the report said. After snorting the heroin, McHugh told police he doesn’t remember anything about the crash until he woke up in the ambulance.
McHugh expressed remorse in the courtroom during sentencing, saying to the victim's family what he did was not “intentional”. He said he deserved his punishment.
Summers' family spoke, describing the 21 year old Summer and how much they've missed her. McHugh's attorney Henry Hilow says it was "one of the most emotional moments" he had seen in a courtroom.
“This was a tragedy where a young woman lost her life. The effects of heroin, plaguing the community impacted two families.” said Hilow. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victim’s family.”
The judge will have McHugh on community supervision after his release. The judge also suspended his driver's license for life.
