Huron County girl, 15, sentenced in traffic death

2/17/2005

NORWALK, Ohio - A 15-year-old Huron County girl has been sentenced to at least six months in a state juvenile detention center for causing an auto accident that killed a 13-year-old boy.

Carrie Otts was sentenced Monday in Huron County Juvenile Court after pleading guilty Jan. 21 to two counts of delinquency in connection with vehicular assault and one count of delinquency in connection with aggravated vehicular homicide stemming from the Oct. 8 accident.

Trevor McDonald, 13, of Willard, Ohio, was killed in the single-car accident; Miss Otts and five other people were hurt.

She was driving her aunt's car at speeds of over 100 mph when she lost control on Neal Zick Road, just west of State Rt. 598. The car went into a ditch, ran into a fire hydrant, and overturned several times, authorities said.

"Apparently she was fiddling with the CD player at the time she lost control," said Christopher Mushett, juvenile court administrator. He said Miss Otts could remain in state custody until her 21st birthday.