Indiana Man Gets 12 Years In Crash That Killed Jail Officer
By John Dodge
CHICAGO (CBS) -- An Indiana man was sentenced to 12 year in prison for a hit-and-run accident that killed a corrections officer and three others two years ago.
In March 2012, Jason Cozmanoff was driving a sport-utility vehicle that barreled into four correctional officers as they jogged in around the Lake County, Ind., Government Center in a training exercise, prosecutors said.
Britney Meux, 25, was killed instantly. The others – David Murchek, 26; Latasha Johnson, 34; and Delano Scaife, 22 — were seriously injured.
Investigators said Cozmanoff was driving at a rate of 65 mph at the time of the crash.
About 24 hours after Cozmanoff fled the scene, he turned himself into police.
Evidence at the scene showed the driver did not brake as he slammed into the group as they ran on the side of the road, according to the probable cause affidavit.
The airbag control module revealed six seconds prior to impact the car was traveling at 77 mph and had a 100 percent throttle position. One second prior to impact, the car was at 65 mph and zero percent throttle.
Cozmanoff was charged in 2009 with drunken driving and other offenses after a traffic stop by Lake County police.
He pleaded guilty and successfully completed the Lake County Drug and Alcohol Offender Service program.
