Woman sentenced for vehicular homicide

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A Grove City woman who pleaded guilty to the vehicular homicide of a 20-year-old Fayette County man was sentenced this week to one year of community control.

On the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, Kyleen L. May, 18, was driving east on U.S. 22 Southeast approaching the intersection of Hess Road when she hit a 1995 Oldsmobile Cutlass, driven by Terrance R. Deck. May’s vehicle crashed into the rear of Deck’s vehicle, forcing Deck’s vehicle into the path of a westbound 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, driven by Theresa G. Hughes, 51, of Washington Court House.

The vehicles driven by Hughes and Deck came to a rest at the Hess Road intersection following impact. Hughes’ vehicle caught fire after impact, and an area resident was able to free Hughes from her vehicle and contain the fire until the Washington C.H. Fire Department arrived on the scene.

Deck was pronounced dead at the scene by Fayette County Coroner Dr. Dennis Mesker.

Hughes was seriously injured and transported from the scene by Fayette County EMS to Fayette County Memorial Hospital, and was later transferred to a Columbus hospital for further treatment.

May and her passenger, Betty J. Traylor, 69, of Circleville, both sustained minor injuries and were examined by members of the Fayette County EMS, but declined transport to the hospital.

On Aug. 10, May pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular manslaughter, a misdemeanor of the first degree, and one count of driving left of center, a minor misdemeanor.

May appeared in Fayette County Common Pleas Court on Monday for sentencing where she was sentenced to one year community control and is ordered to abide by all the conditions of community control set forth by the Fayette County Adult Probation Department.

During May’s sentencing, she took the opportunity to speak.

“I just want to say that I am so sorry. If I could take it back, I would,” May said tearfully. “If I could trade places, I would in a heartbeat. There aren’t words to really explain how sorry I am.”

Linda Deck, Terrance’s mother, also took the opportunity to speak.

“I am Terry Deck’s mother. Terry was killed in an accident,” Deck said. “The operative word there is ‘accident.’ I know Kyleen May did not intentionally hit my son’s car. The Bible says to love our neighbors like ourselves, and forgive as we would want God to forgive us. I can only imagine the pain and agony she has gone through. I can’t put myself in her shoes, because every time I try to, I get too sad and too upset. I want you to know that I do love you. And I’ve been concerned about you. I know it was an accident and I do not blame you. I hope you will forgive yourself….because you need to in order to move on.”

As an additional term of the community control, May was sentenced to 180 days in the Fayette County Jail, which the court suspended and instead ordered 60 days of house arrest. May is also ordered to serve 40 hours of community service.

The court ordered that May’s driver’s license be suspended for a period of five years. She is also ordered to pay the costs of prosecution.

http://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2015/09/web1_FC-Court-House-1-3-1.jpg
Victim’s mother forgives May during sentencing

By Kellee Bonnell

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Reach Kellee Bonnell at (740) 313-0355 or on Twitter @newskelleebee

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