April 09, 2016
A Bucks County man who allegedly struck a pedestrian with his car and fled the scene because of his previous run-ins with the law was sentenced to prison earlier this week.
Prosecutors announced Wednesday that Gary Poole, 36, of Morrisville, was ordered to spend 11 1/2-to-23 months at the Bucks County Correctional Facility by Senior Judge Albert J. Cepparulo for the July 10, 2015 incident.
Authorities said Poole struck the victim, a 59-year-old Philadelphia man, around 1 a.m. on State Road. The pedestrian suffered severe head injuries for which he is still being treated for, according to prosecutors.
Poole drove off and tried hiding his damaged Chevrolet Suburban behind a nearby home, attempting to convince a relative to report the car as stolen, the Bucks County District Attorney's office said.
He explained to Cepparulo that he "just panicked" because of his probation from a prior drug conviction in Philadelphia, authorities said. Poole said he stayed until police showed up but left before they had a chance to speak with him.
The accident was not deemed Poole's fault and Cepparulo said during sentencing he most likely wouldn't have been charged if he had remained on the scene. The terms of Poole's plea agreement mean he's accepted a $200 fine for driving with a suspended license and will serve three years probation after his prison term.
