SUNBURY - "I lost my only child and no amount of justice or punishment will bring her back."
That heartfelt statement by a tearful Rebecca Harris was given Monday afternoon just before Northumberland County Judge Charles H. Saylor sentenced the man he found responsible for the death of Harris' 19-year-old daughter.
Thomas L. Schorr, 32, of Millersburg, was sentenced to 1 1/2 to 7 years in a state correctional institution two weeks after Saylor found the defendant guilty of 10 charges, including a felony of accidents involving death or personal injury.
Must pay fees, costs
Schorr received a standard range sentence of 1 to 5 years incarceration on the felony offense and a consecutive sentence of 6 to 24 months imprisonment on a misdemeanor of recklessly endangering another person. He was ordered to pay $9,681 in restitution that covers funeral expenses, a cemetery monument and counseling services.
The defendant also was directed by Saylor to pay an assortment of costs, fines and fees on the two charges and remaining eight summary offenses including driving while operating privilege is suspended or revoked (two counts), failure to drive in a single lane, driving at an unsafe speed, careless driving (two counts), reckless driving and false reports.
The defendant, who has a prior record score of 1, was found not guilty of a seat belt violation at trial and a stop sign violation had been previously dismissed.
Schorr, who formerly resided in Elizabethville, was charged in connection with an April 12, 2010, accident in Lower Mahanoy Township that claimed the life of Bethany Harris, of Dalmatia, who jumped out of a car driven recklessly by Schorr for fear of being injured or killed. Harris struck her head on the ground and died the following day at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville.
'My beautiful girl'
Rebecca Harris, who presented a victim impact statement reviewed by Saylor, told the court Schorr has shown no remorse since the accident; she urged the judge to sentence him to as much prison time as possible.
She said Schorr failed to stop or slow down despite being yelled at by passengers in the vehicle.
"There will be no wedding day for my daughter and no grandchildren," Harris said. "He needs real punishment and must learn to take responsibility for his actions before he takes someone from someone else."
She added, "My only child was taken from me because of the defendant's reckless and careless driving. This was such an avoidable and senseless death. The pain and helplessness that this has caused is almost indescribable. The hurt is so overwhelming and uncontrollable that getting through each day can be challenging and draining. Many lives were shattered that day.
"Everywhere in my house there are years of memories of my beautiful girl, and all I want is to touch her, hold her and talk to her. But I can't because of the defendant's blatant disregard for Bethany's life."
'I'm sorry'
Shortly before being sentenced, a crying Schorr stated, "I've waited three years to tell Rebecca I'm sorry. I feel horrible for what happened. There's nothing I can do to bring her back. I hope time makes this a little easier."
Saylor said the victim's decision to intentionally jump from the moving car after it struck an embankment may not have been the best choice, but she believed it was her only choice.
Schorr's attorney, Northumberland County Public Defender Paige Rosini, requested Saylor to dismiss the charges of careless driving and driving under suspension, but the judge denied both motions. Saylor also denied Rosini's request for appeal bail for her client, who was recommitted to Northumberland County Prison. Schorr has spent 113 days in jail since the accident three years ago.
Long process
Northumberland County First Assistant District Attorney Ann Targonski, who prosecuted the case, said, "This has been a long, drawn-out process for the family and we hope this resolution brings closure to the case. The commonwealth believes the sentence is appropriate for the tragic death that resulted from the incident."
Several other members of Harris' family were in attendance.
The defendant's 34-year-old brother, Terry Schorr, of Milan, Mich., also attended. After his brother thanked him for coming to the sentencing, Terry Schorr told him several times to "hang in there."
Following the sentencing, Rosini, the defendant and Terry Schorr declined comment.