Kate Delenick
Editor-in-Chief
It has been over a year since the death of McDaniel Student, Thomas Rouleau . Rouleau was killed on February 6, 2009 in a hit-and-run accident involving four other McDaniel Students.
According to the Carroll County Times, on Thursday, March 25, Shawron Bibbs, the man responsible for the accident was sentenced to 10 years in prison. In the case the maximum sentencing was 11 years. Bibbs was convicted through a plea deal of negligent manslaughter by automobile in a hearing last Thursday. Bibbs pleaded “not guilty” but agreed not to challenge the case so it would not go to trial.
While authorities believe that a 10 year sentence fits the crime because Bibb’s cooperated with police after he was arrested those from the McDaniel community and friends of Tom feel differently.
McDaniel Student and close friend of Tom, Nina Minadakis spoke on behalf of those closest to Tom, “The sentencing of Shawron Bibbs was the first time he had to really see the pain and horror he’s caused. Ten years doesn’t seem to do any justice for the crime he committed. This world will never be the same without Tom; and for those of us affected by the accident, it will never be the same anyway. I just hope that Bibbs thinks about Tom, his family, and his best friends every single day, so that maybe one day when he is released, he will come out a better person. Maybe in ten years, he will be able to change his life, but in ten years, Tom will still be gone.”