Chantel Georgalas. Contributed photo.
The holidays and birthdays are particularly hard, but getting through every day is made tougher by the absence of Kevin C. Sevacko, said Rick Spotts.
“It has affected us all a lot,” he said at the Jan. 6 sentencing of Chantel M. Georgalas, who was charged with traffic crimes in Sevacko’s death.
“We go through this every day, dealing with his loss,” said Spotts, a friend of Sevacko’s.
Sevacko, 40, of Masury, was killed Nov. 9, 2021, in a traffic accident in Farrell. Sevacko was driving a 1999 Harley-Davidson motorcycle when it was hit by a 2010 Nissan Rogue at Mercer and Indiana avenues, police said.
Georgalas left the scene, something Mercer County Common Pleas Court Judge Daniel Wallace called “inexcusable.”
“I was in a state of panic,” she said.
Georgalas apologized to Spotts and members of Sevacko’s family.
“I definitely should have handled this situation better,” she said.
Georgalas said she is a God-fearing woman who has children and a family, and understands what Spotts said about the daily impact of the tragedy.
“I have to deal with that mentally, emotionally in my own way,” she said.
Georgalas pleaded guilty to charges of homicide by vehicle, drunken driving, leaving the scene and driving without a license. The prosecution and defense recommended a sentence of 2 to 6 years in prison, followed by 5 years’ probation. While Wallace did not have to abide with the recommendation, he said it was appropriate, and imposed it.
Georgalas also must pay $1,200 in fines.
While there was not a specific accounting of any drug or alcohol issues, the prosecution noted that an evaluator recommended that she undergo outpatient treatment.
“If you have any addictions, now is the time to ask for help,” Wallace said.
Georgalas was given credit for 268 days she had already spent in jail.
Sevacko, who worked at Pipelines Inc. in Masury, left behind a girlfriend, three children, his parents and other family members, according to his obituary.
