A Washington man was sentenced to seven years in prison Thursday for causing a hit-and-run drunken-driving accident last summer that seriously hurt a Chillicothe woman and killed her dog.
Michael A. Rennie, 55, had hoped for probation, but that was quickly rejected by Peoria County Circuit Judge James Shadid.
The judge noted Rennie was on probation from a 2007 DUI conviction when his car struck Tracie Lenning and just missed her son, who was then 6 years old.
The judge also ordered Rennie to pay $600,000 in restitution, which would cover Lenning's medical costs so far. However, with Rennie going to prison, it's not likely she will see that money anytime soon.
Rennie of 2262 Knollaire Drive apologized to Lenning, who was sitting in the front row of Shadid's courtroom. He told her he didn't remember much of what happened or he wouldn't have driven off. He admitted, though, that his apology would likely fall on deaf ears.
After the hearing, Lenning, 26, limped over to a bench in the second-floor hallway. Her arms and legs both had broken bones. She underwent months of surgeries and therapy and still has operations on her legs yet to come.
"I am 26 years old, and I am never going to be normal again," she said in a calm yet determined tone. "I can't pick up my baby. We might lose our house," added the mother of three before her voice trailed off.
The hearing was emotional for all sides. On Rennie's side, eight people choked back tears as the sentence was passed. On the other side, Lenning's family, numbering nearly a dozen, sniffled and dabbed their eyes as prosecutor Jodi Hoos read a letter from Lenning describing the impact of the horrific accident on her son, now 7.
"He has PTSD," Lenning said after the hearing. "He's afraid of cars. He doesn't worry about the things that a 7-year-old should worry about. He isn't carefree."
Rennie pleaded guilty in February to aggravated driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a personal injury accident in return for a 10-year cap on any prison sentence. Without the deal, he would have faced up to 12 years.
Hoos pushed for the maximum 10 years, starting her argument with a description of the scene after the accident. It was near a playground, and Lenning was left lying in a pool of blood. Rennie, she said, pulled up on the grass, and then drove off. She also said it was Rennie's third DUI conviction since 1985, and the accident occurred near a residential area.
