Driver accused in death of young man pleads guilty

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A driver pleaded guilty Wednesday to misdemeanor death by motor vehicle and misdemeanor failure to stop at the scene of a crash that killed a young man. Driver Tiffany Ashcraft was 17 at the time.

"I said, 'Give ma another hug and a kiss,' and he did. And I know that the Lord put that in my heart, because that was the last time I would get to do that," said Doris Hartis, Josh Crowley's grandmother.

Hartis said she last saw her grandson on April 7, 2012, before he headed to hang out with some friends. The next day, police told her he was found dead off the side of the road.

"It's such a tragic loss for us," Hartis said.

As part of a plea deal, Ashcraft will be on two years of supervised probation, during which she can't drive. She will have to pay the victim's grandmother for funeral expenses. For six months, she will have to wear an alcohol-monitoring bracelet, and she will have to give five presentations to youth or school groups on the dangers of texting and cellphone use while driving.

The prosecutor says there is no evidence she was drinking or texting the night of the crash. Ashcraft will also have to do 75 hours of community service work.

The prosecutor told the judge a witness saw a silver SUV swerve the night Crowley was hit, but it keep going. Ashcraft texted her dad saying she just hit a deer, and he called police when he read about the crash in the paper.

"No justice, none at all," said Tammy Crowley, the victim's mother.

Tammy Crowley said she wished the punishment were harsher. She and another family say they wish Ashcraft had stopped and called 911.

In court, Ashcraft was visibly upset. She faced Crowley's family and said she knew her apology wouldn't fix things, but she said, "I want you to know I'm sorry."

Crowley said she's just glad this is over.

"I can't eat, I can't sleep, I can't focus. Maybe this will help a little," said Tammy Crowley.

"He was such a sweet person. He just left us with so many memories. He will never be forgotten," said Hartis.

WSOC