HAMILTON COUNTY, Ohio -- A 24-year-old Rumpke family member's sentencing in connection with the traffic death of a mother and daughter in Colerain Township in October was rescheduled Wednesday.
Theodore Rumpke pleaded no contest last month to reduced charges for hitting and killing Jessica Lutz, 29, and her mom, Patricia Lutz, 65 with his SUV on Oct. 12.
Authorities said the two were walking near the intersection of E. Miami River Road and Colerain Avenue. Both women were pronounced dead at the scene.
Rumpke was scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday on two counts of vehicular homicide by a Hamilton County judge. His sentencing was rescheduled after it was revealed that Rumpke failed to attend a pre-sentencing investigation hearing.
Rumpke was initially charged in December with two counts each of vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter. The charges weren't filed for more than two months after the accident.
Joe Lutz, son of Patricia and brother of Jessica, told WCPO in December his family continued to pray for everyone affected by the tragedy.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the young man who was driving the vehicle," he said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with all the loved ones my sister Jessica and my mom Pat touched in their lives. Our thoughts are with these very powerful women and we just want to mourn their greatness."
Rumpke is a relative of the trash service-company and a former Rumpke Waste & Recycling sub-contractor.
Court documents revealed Rumpke told officers at the scene he was not looking at the road because he was arguing with his girlfriend who was sitting next to him in his SUV.
In 2010, when he was 18, Rumpke was charged with driving while impaired. He was also charged for failure to maintain reasonable control while driving in 2012.
A new date for the sentencing hearing has not been released.
