LANCASTER COUNTY — A 29-year-old Downingtown man will serve up to eight years in prison for fleeing the scene of a crash on Route 30 East that seriously injured a Lancaster County woman in 2018, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.
Mark Harvey was driving under the influence prior to the crash, which occurred on June 6, 2018, prosecutors say. He was illegally passing vehicles on Lincoln Highway East when he struck the victim’s vehicle, causing it to overturn. He then fled the scene, leaving his Mitsubishi behind, according to prosecutors.
Harvey was found by police soon afterward, prosecutors say. He smelled of alcohol and admitted to police that he smoked marijuana “every hour of every day.”
The victim sustained 22 broken bones in the crash, and will likely be in occupational therapy for the rest of her life, according to prosecutors. The victim, a former school bus driver who worked other part-time jobs as well, can no longer perform any of those tasks. The victim’s daughter, who spoke prior to sentencing, said the accident occurred on her birthday and called it the worst day of her life.
Her mother was once a passionate motorcycle driver, but can no longer ride due to her injuries, the victim’s daughter added.
Harvey, who has a prior DUI conviction, apologized to the victim and her family. The victim was present, but did not speak, according to prosecutors.
Harvey was sentenced to a two- to eight-year prison term by Lancaster County Judge Howard Knisely, who mentioned a letter Harvey wrote to the victim, in which he stated he made “one bad choice” in his 29 years: driving that day.
Knisely pointed to Harvey’s previous DUI conviction and added Harvey made a series of bad choices on the day of the crash.
