CINCINNATI — A woman was sentenced Tuesday to over a decade in prison for crashing into a man as he walked down the sidewalk in October 2023.
Judge Melba Marsh sentenced 58-year-old Melissa Pruitt to 8 years in prison.
At around noon on October 21, police said Ronald Brown was walking on the sidewalk along Colerain Avenue in Mt. Airy when Pruitt crashed into him. He was taken to the University of Cincinnati Medical Center, but died from his injuries roughly three weeks after the crash.
In court, Brown's daughter, Jessica Williams, asked for Marsh to give Pruitt the highest sentence possible.
"I just pray that she gets the time that she deserves," said Williams. "She took a good man. I loved my daddy, he was just walking down the street going to the store and she hit him with a car on the sidewalk ... I wouldn't think in a million years that my dad would die like that."
When it was her time to make a statement, Pruitt, through tears, apologized to Brown's family.
"I am sorry," said Pruitt. "I've been sorry since all this happened. I'm very sorry and I do feel for the family."
Her defense attorney pointed out to Marsh that Pruitt had never been charged with any violent crime before, though she's struggled with addiction since she was a teenager.
Still, Marsh said that was no excuse, because Pruitt had had time to seek help and instead chose to drive that day, despite having a suspended license and being under the influence.
"You did not belong behind the wheel of that car," said Marsh. "And here's the other, the major point here. What was in your system when you were in that vehicle. The toxicology report tells us that you had marijuana in your system, that you had cocaine in your system, that you had fentanyl in your system and you had morphine in your system ... You left the roadway, you jumped the curb. You're on the sidewalk."
Police said Pruitt had stopped after the crash and cooperated with investigators. However, in court, Marsh pointed out that officers noted Pruitt was unresponsive after the crash and when she was responsive, she could not stand long enough to complete the field sobriety tests.
Pruitt was not hurt in the crash.
Editor's note: A previous version of this story reported Pruitt was sentenced to 12 years, which was inaccurate. She was sentenced to 8 years, which could be extended up to 12 under specific circumstances. We regret the error.
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