Hamilton woman admits to killing 28-year-old mother in crash near her home

A Hamilton woman has admitted to striking and killing a pedestrian in January on Millville Avenue.

Karen Ann Riegert, 62, was arrested shortly after the crash on Jan. 20 and indicted by a Butler County grand jury for aggravated vehicular homicide, a second degree felony, a second count under the same statute that is a third-degree felony and failure to stop after an accident, a third-degree felony.

Miranda Perry, 28, was walking in the 1300 block of Millville about 2:20 p.m. and was hit by a vehicle that fled the scene, according to Hamilton police. The mother of a 5-year-old daughter was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Tuesday, Riegert pleaded guilty in Butler County Common Pleas Court to one count of aggravated vehicular homicide and failure to stop after an accident. She faces a maximum of 15 years in prison.

Judge Dan Haughey set sentencing for May 4. Riegert has been housed in the Butler County Jail since her arrest in lieu of $100,000 bond.

According to the Hamilton police report, Riegert was driving westbound and weaving. The vehicle went off the right side of the road and left of center several times, then struck Perry and fled.

Officers located Riegert at her home on Curtis Avenue, where she told them she had been to the Towne Pub and had “four Seven and Sevens (alcoholic drinks),” according to the police report.

When she returned home, Riegert had Salisbury steak and milk but had not consumed any additional alcohol, according to police.

Officers told Riegert her vehicle had been involved in a crash, and she asked, “Where?” She then want to see the vehicle. Riegert went outside with officers and observed damage to her car parked at the curb.

“Defendant was unsteady on her feet,” an officer said in the report.

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