Doris Johns, 71, was sentenced yesterday after rear-ending an Amish buggy on May 29, killing 10-month-old Michael Steury Jr. and injuring his parents and sister.
According to Hillsdale Prosecuting Attorney Neal Brady, Johns was put on 2-year probation, had her driving license suspended and received a total fine of $1,275.
While Johns pleaded guilty on two accounts of moving violations causing serious impairment of body function, a charge of moving violation causing death was dismissed.
“Johns is an elderly woman who was receiving cancer treatment at the time,” Brady said. “She will not be serving any jail time.”
Brady said he has prosecuted five to six Amish buggy-related car crashes over his past 15 years as prosecuting attorney in Hillsdale and Branch counties. He said they almost always result in serious injuries and 25 percent involve death.
The Amish buggies are required to have lights at night and reflective signs during the day, although they are not forced to have the cautionary orange triangles, signaling slow moving vehicles, Brady said.
“Because of religious principles, they won’t paint their buggies with hunter orange or use l.e.d. lights. They use battery-powered lights,” Brady said. “They don’t like to draw attention to themselves or be ostentatious.”
