Man sentenced to 5 years in prison for killing pedestrian

Michael Yates, right, with attorney, Jon Richardson, cries as a Judge Myron Duhart finds him guilty of aggravated vehicular homicide in the 2012 death of Stefanie Arnold, Sept. 30 in Lucas County Common Pleas Court.

A driver who crashed into two women near the Hollywood Casino Toledo, killing one of them, will serve five years in prison, a judge announced today.

Michael A. Yates, 42, of 1128 Ironwood Ave., was found guilty in September of aggravated vehicular homicide in the July 21, 2012, death of Stefanie Arnold, 27, of Painesville, Ohio, and vehicular assault for striking and injuring Chelsea Skoch, 24, of Madison, Ohio, who was walking with Mrs. Arnold from the Days Inn to the casino when they were struck.

The Toledo man's attorney had argued that his client fell asleep after taking a higher-than-prescribed dose of his prescription painkiller and getting behind the wheel.

Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Myron Duhart today sentenced Yates to a mandatory five years on the charge of aggravated vehicular homicide and to three years on the charge of vehicular assault, to be served concurrently, which amounts to five years behind bars.

Yates, who wept when he spoke in court to apologize to the victims' families today, faced two to 11 years in prison.

The sentencing was continued until Wednesday to deal with the issue of post-release control after Yates completes his prison sentence.