Indiana, PA : Homer City man sentenced for deadly DUI crash on April, Sunday 16th 2017

A Homer City man was sentenced this morning in Indiana County Court to a prison term for causing a drunken driving accident last spring that claimed the life of a Rayne Township woman.
Mark Campbell, who is now incarcerated at SCI Somerset for a state parole violation, was sentenced by Judge Thomas Bianco to serve 42 months to seven years in a state correctional institution, and to pay $800 in fines, $756 in court costs and $6,907 restitution to the estate of Shirley Pegg, the crash victim.
This morning’s sentencing was conducted over a video connection between the prison in Somerset and the courthouse. Campbell, 55, appeared on the video screen seated at a small table with a microphone in a white masonry block room in the prison.
Campbell in January pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and driving under the influence.
The March 10, 2016, crash claimed the life of Pegg, 68, of Round Top Trail. State police said she was traveling west on Route 422, near Strongstown in Pine Township, when an eastbound car driven by Campbell crossed the centerline just before 6 p.m. and collided with Pegg’s car.
Police filed the initial charges against Campbell in May 2016 in Clymer District Court.
When given the opportunity to comment this morning, Campbell repeatedly said he was sorry and explained he was “stressed” about losing his home at the time of the crash.
“I never meant for my problems to cause another human being to lose their life,” Campbell said.
Bianco told Campbell that because of the seriousness of the crime, probation or partial prison confinement were inappropriate for the sentence. In arriving at a sentence, Bianco said he also considered Campbell’s rehabilitation needs and the need for the sentence to act as a deterrent to keep Campbell or others from committing the same or similar offense.
Bianco noted that Campbell had 26 previous adult arrests and nine convictions, and said Campbell’s earlier statements to the court represent a “failure to address a substance abuse problem” the defendant has.
Bianco said Campbell has “demonstrated he has very few redeeming qualities,” and added that it is “the court’s job to exclude him from society as long as I can.” For those reasons Bianco said he sentenced Campbell within the aggravated range of the sentencing guidelines, with a maximum term of seven years.
“We’re happy with that, “ Indiana County District Attorney Patrick Dougherty said after the sentencing.
Campbell has the legal right to appeal his sentencing.

Source :
Homer City man sentenced for deadly DUI crash