Man who pleads guilty to road homicide, sentenced to 9 years | News, Sports, Jobs

ROMSHAK

Following a fatal collision that occurred as 2023 was winding down, much of 2024 was spent seeking justice for victim Sunni Rae Scott.

Benjamin Fred Romshak, 33, of Flushing, was involved in an accident with Scott on November 14, 2023. Scott was traveling from her home in Bellaire to her Flushing business, Sunni Rae’s Buy, Sell, Trade, when a vehicle operated by Romshak at a high rate of speed traveled left of center on Ohio 331 and struck Scott’s vehicle head on.

Scott, 49, was seriously injured in the crash. She underwent several surgeries and died on November 21, 2023.

Romshak was arrested on an unrelated warrant the following month and also charged in connection with Scott’s death. The criminal case against him then unfolded throughout 2024.

When Romshak pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide in October, Belmont County Prosecutor Kevin Flanagan said Romshak was driving recklessly the morning of the crash and was also impaired.

“He tested positive for methamphetamine” Flanagan said, noting that aggravated vehicular homicide while driving while impaired is a second-degree felony.

According to Flanagan, the maximum possible sentence for that charge, which his office requested, is eight years in prison.

He added that any bad behavior while incarcerated could prompt prison officials to request additional time, which could be up to four more years behind bars.

In addition, Flanagan said Romshak was on probation and enrolled in the county’s drug court program at the time of the crime. Judge Chris Berhalter terminated Romshak’s treatment in lieu of a sentence that placed him in the drug court program, and prosecutors asked for an additional sentence related to the previous third-degree drug possession charge to add another three years to Romshak’s sentence.

On Nov. 4, Romshak was sentenced to nine years in prison — the maximum eight years on the aggravated vehicular homicide charge and an additional year on the third-degree felony drug possession charge.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph Vavra previously said several people saw Romshak driving recklessly before the crash and called 911 to report it. Several law enforcement agencies were en route to the area to respond when the collision occurred.

Today’s news and more in your inbox. of e-mail