Cell phone records indicated Gough was texting on her cell phone prior to the crash, although city prosecutor Mike Shiels said he couldn’t prove definitively she was doing so at the time of impact.
Gough was ordered to 200 hours of community service and will have to take a traffic safety school course and a remedial driving course.
She pleaded guilty last month to vehicular manslaughter, and in exchange, charges of vehicular homicide and assured cleared distance were dropped.
Police said Gough crashed into the back of a minivan on West National Road last August, killing Lauren Drummond, who died after suffering head injuries in the crash, according to court documents. Her father, mother and 3-year-old brother were also riding in the minivan but sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.
Before Gough was sentenced, Drummond’s mother, Kelly Drummond, referred to Gough’s cell phone records, which indicated she sent a text at 1:47 p.m. that day — the same time as the crash. This was also Gough’s second rear-end collision.
“Hannah Gough has a history of reckless and negligent driving and after two previous crashes should have learned to pay attention to the road and not her phone,” Kelly Drummond said in court.
Jon Paul Rion, Gough’s attorney, maintained his client was not texting but was distracted by a deer that had just crossed the roadway at the time of the crash. That’s why she didn’t brake before striking the Drummond’s van.
Gough apoligized to Lauren’s family and said she’s remorseful every day for what happened.
“I just wanted to say that I’m really sorry and that it simply was an accident and that I do feel so much guilt and I do feel that it’s terrible that I get to keep my children and you lost yours because of me,” Gough said.
Given her past history and the impact Lauren’s death has had on her family, Trempe said Gough did deserve jail time so as not to undermine the seriousness of her actions.
“I think after we’ve been drivers for a few years we take for granted what forces of destruction a motor vehicle can be,” Trempe said.
Gough’s sentence was effective immediately. Once released from jail, she’ll be on two-years probation.
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