Wednesday, December 4, 2002
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Wednesday, December 4, 2002 |
| McCrary pleads
guilty to Vicha death in police chase
By JOHN MUNFORD
A Jonesboro woman who killed a Peachtree City man as she fled police on a high-speed chase in July avoided a trial Monday by pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in the first degree. Lorraine McCrary, 37, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Superior Court Judge Johnnie L. Caldwell Jr. Monday morning. In return for the guilty plea, prosecutors dropped other charges including murder, attempting to elude a police officer, speeding, a child safety restraint violation and two counts of reckless conduct. Because McCrary was legally intoxicated when the crash occurred, she must serve 13 1/2 years of the sentence before she can be considered for parole, said District Attorney Bill McBroom. At the time of the collision, McCrary was being pursued by officers from the Luthersville Police Department; although Peachtree City police got little advance notice, they managed to block major intersections on Ga. Highway 54 as the chase sped through the city. The crash killed Chuck Vicha, who was living with his mother Alice in Peachtree City. Vicha's vehicle was struck as he attempted to turn left onto Ga. Highway 54 just outside the eastern city limits the evening of July 27, according to police. Three children in McCrary's car at the time of the crash were also injured. Alice Vicha addressed McCrary in court Monday morning before Caldwell issued the sentence. Alice Vicha displayed a photo of her son to McCrary and said she wanted McCrary to remember her son, especially on the anniversary of the fatal crash and on his birthday, Oct. 13. "I will be thinking about you on July 27," Vicha said, referring to the date of the fatal collision. Vicha said she hoped McCrary, who was in a wheelchair, continued to recover from her crash-related injuries, "but I do hope you remember my son and our families." Vicha said she misses her son and his death affects her every day, particularly when she learns of another deadly auto accident. "I'll never ever ever forget the policeman coming to my door and (me) screaming for two hours," she said. "I don't know if I'll ever get over that." "The choice you made has given me so much pain," Vicha said. "I go in the house and call his name and silence comes back to me." The Christmas season will be hard to get through because of her son's love for the holiday, Mrs. Vicha explained. Chuck was known for his Christmas displays and he often decorated four or five trees throughout the house they shared in Peachtree City. As he issued McCrary's sentence, Caldwell noted that she endangered the lives of her children and others as she failed to stop for the Luthersville officers.
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