Man Gets 2 Years In UMd. Student's Hit-And-Run
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. (WJZ) -- Sentencing Friday for the man who pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run accident that killed a College Park student as he tried to cross busy Rt. 1.
Derek Valcourt has more on the man's punishment and emotional moments inside the courtroom.
The driver of that car said he was ashamed and sickened and prays for forgiveness.
A judge sentenced 30-year-old Liam Adepo to two years in prison for leaving the scene of an accident.
Adepo admits he was behind the wheel of the car that struck and killed University of Maryland senior Cory Hubbard, who was trying to cross busy Rt. 1 in College Park in January of 2014.
Prosecutors call Adepo's punishment appropriate.
"We simply did not have the evidence to charge manslaughter in this case and we go where the evidence leads us," said Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks.
The evidence included surveillance camera video showing Adepo entering Looney's Pub in College Park, leaving an hour and a half later and then stumbling into a trash can. Adepo can be seen staggering as he walks and even stumbling down a flights of stairs moments before he struck and killed the 22-year-old New York native.
The victim's family declined to talk to reporters, but gave emotional statements in court about their loss.
Hubbard was one of three students killed last year while trying to cross a stretch of Route 1 near the university. That promoted state highway officials to make some safety improvements in this busy stretch of road.
Police said 23-year-old Carlos Pacanins of Bethesda may have been drinking when he was struck crossing Route 1, and police blame a drunk driver for slamming into Janelle Oni of Randallstown as she crossed in July.
A new median fence and reduced speed limits are now in place to reduce pedestrian accidents in same the area where Adepo struck and killed Cory Hubbard.
"We hope that during his time while he's incarcerated that he'll have the time to assess what got him here and to address the alcohol issues that caused this horrible tragedy," said Alsobrooks.
With probation, it's possible Adepo could be out of prison in just after a year. Once he is released, he'll be on three years of supervised probation.
A trial for the man accused of in the College Park drinking and driving death of Randallstown native Janelle Oni has been set for May.
