Woman sentenced to jail for UTV crash
WAYNESBURG – A Franklin Township woman was sentenced to jail on charges relating to an off-road vehicle crash that killed a 12-year-old boy in August 2015.
Tracy Russell, 45, of 2680 Mt. Morris Road, was driving three children, ages 12, 11 and 7, and another adult around her property in a utility-task vehicle just before 8 p.m. Aug. 8, 2015, when the vehicle tipped over, killing Marrius L. Duncan of Adrian, Armstrong County.
He was taken to WHS-Greene hospital, where he was pronounced dead from injuries to the head, neck and chest, according to court documents.
“I’m sorry to Marrius’ family,” she said during her sentencing Monday. “I need you to know that I do think of him every day. If there was a way I could change anything or take his place, I would.”
The boy’s grandmother Cheryl Brunner asked the court for jail time.
“Tracy Russell’s robbed us of everything,” Brunner said Monday. “I don’t know what to do without Marrius. He was my whole life, my everything.”
All three children in the vehicle were being fostered by Margaret Bigley, the mother of Russell’s boyfriend, according to the criminal complaint. Russell told police she was having a cookout that day and Bigley was there with the three children. She decided to take them for a ride in the UTV, police said.
Russell, another adult and one of the children were in the front seat, while two of the children were in the back utility bed with helmets on because there were no seat belts back there, she told police. Blood tests later showed Russell had a blood-alcohol content of 0.13 percent.
In June, a Greene County jury reached a split verdict on Russell, acquitting her of involuntary manslaughter, one count of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of reckless endangerment, but finding her guilty of three counts each of endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment and two summary offenses.
Russell asked the court Monday for a probationary sentence instead of jail time, as did several of her family members, friends and coworkers who sent letters to the court.
“I’m not a monster, I’m a mother,” she told the court.
Her son, David Russell of Carmichaels, also asked the court to consider his mother’s character as a caretaker, mother and nurse before sentencing her to jail.
“This was a tragic accident and it could have happened to anybody,” he said. “She has to live with this guilt the rest of her life. I need my mother and my sister needs my mother here with us.”
Greene County Judge Lou Dayich sentenced Russell to 30 days to one year in jail with work release privileges, followed by two years of probation. Her incarceration period will begin Oct. 2.
Russell will also have to pay more than $600 in fines and court costs that include $1,017 in restitution, $800 to the state police forensic unit and $5,100 to a doctor used by Brunner for therapy sessions following the death of her grandson. She also was ordered to complete 75 hours of community service.
“I will never forget Marrius,” Russell said in court. “I do take full responsibility for my actions.”