The surrogate
It begins with a woman who yearns for a baby and another who is willing and able to give her one. You can imagine the motives of the prospective parents. But what about the woman willing to carry a baby, give birth and then walk away?
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BROOKSVILLE — The generosity of a victim's family will spare a Bushnell man from a lengthy prison sentence.
Rickey Scroggins Jr., 23, drove drunk, ran a red light and collided with a freight truck in 2007, killing passenger Andrew "Andy" Cuthbertson, a newly engaged Army private who had arrived home on leave just a day before.
Scroggins pleaded no contest Thursday to DUI manslaughter and four related charges.
Circuit Judge Stephen Rushing delayed sentencing Scroggins until Sept. 12 so Cuthbertson's relatives could attend. As part of the plea deal, Scroggins will receive three years in prison followed by two years of house arrest and five years of probation.
The crash happened about 5 a.m. April 27, 2007, at Powell Road and U.S. 41, south of Brooksville. Scroggins drove his 1994 Chevrolet pickup with three passengers: his girlfriend, her friend and her friend's fiance, Cuthbertson.
The crew spent the night reconnecting and drinking before heading home. Scroggins stopped at the traffic light at the intersection but then drove through the red light and across the six-lane divided highway. A mail freight truck in the northbound lanes of U.S. 41 slammed into the left side of the pickup where Cuthbertson, 19, was sitting. He died at the scene. Scroggins later registered a 0.96 percent blood-alcohol level.
Assistant State Attorney Bill Catto said Scroggins faced a much harsher sentence — more than 15 years in prison on all of the charges — but the victim's family agreed to show mercy with a lesser prison term.
Cuthbertson's mother, Laurie Martinez, said Thursday she was satisfied with the outcome "because it gives him plenty of time to think about what happened." She said Scroggins came and apologized to her after the crash.
"I knew (a longer sentence) isn't going to bring my son back," she explained. "I don't feel like taking all that time from his life.
"I want some consequences," she continued. "And we left it in God's hands, and he will deal with it in his way. … I pray and hope he will learn from this."
In court, Scroggins' attorney, Chip Mander, challenged the evidence in the case, asking the judge to suppress his client's confession for a number of reasons, including the fact it was obtained at the hospital while he was in shock and badly injured.
The judge denied the motion, but Scroggins waived his right to appeal as a part of the plea negotiations.
"Nobody is happy," Mander said. "It was just bad all around."
John Frank can be reached at jfrank@sptimes.com or (352) 754-6114.
>>court report
Getaway driver gets five years' probation
The sentencing of a woman who was involved in the shooting and burning of a man in March 2007 brought the case to a close Thursday. Carlene Troyer, 36, of Lutz was initially charged with attempted murder for her role in the attack on Luke Griggs along a dark road in the Spring Lake area. She drove the getaway car, but did not participate in the attack, authorities said. Troyer pleaded to the lesser charge of strong-arm robbery and received five years of probation. Prosecutors gave her a break because she cooperated with investigators and helped provide a re-enactment that put the two main players in prison for 10 years.
Teen goes to boot camp for role in robbery
A teenager involved in the armed robbery of a Spring Hill business pleaded no contest Thursday to a lesser charge of strong-arm robbery. George General Leach, 17, will spend three years in prison and three years on probation for his role in the Feb. 7 robbery of Discount Tobacco on Spring Hill Drive. He and three other teenagers stole $329 from the clerk. The group's ringleader, Jared Noonan, received 10 years in prison in July. Circuit Judge Stephen Rushing withheld adjudication and sentenced Leach as a youthful offender, allowing him to serve his time in a boot camp.
[Last modified: Sep 08, 2008 11:21 AM]
Comments on this article
by Ann
Sep 8, 2008 11:21 AM
Sure is a shame that all of this happen. Ricky has a new baby and he's going to miss all those "first" that his child will do. I hope he has learned that drinking and driving don't mixed. We could have lost all four of them just because of stupidity.
by Taxman
Sep 6, 2008 2:47 PM
Blood alcohol of "0.96" -I don't think so.
How about 0.096?? Typical Times accuracy.
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