The mother of a Homewood man who was struck and killed by a motorist last summer said she is still mourning the death of her son.
“It's been terrible,” said Glenice Price, 77, of Homewood. “Every day is worse.”
Price said she got no satisfaction on Tuesday when a judge sentenced Jeffrey McClure, 29, of Pitcairn to 2 1⁄2 to five years in prison in the July 25 death of James Price, 46.
“He'll be out and he'll be walking, and my son will be gone,” she said.
McClure pleaded guilty to one count each of accidents involving death or injury and accidents involving death or injury while not properly licensed. The sentence, which includes eight years on probation, was part of a plea agreement with the Allegheny County District Attorney's Office.
Police said Price was taking his daily bicycle ride through the East End when McClure hit him on Penn Avenue near Penfield Court in Point Breeze. McClure fled the scene, but police apprehended him two weeks later after receiving a tip he was involved. He later confessed.
Scott Bricker, executive director of BikePGH, a bicyclist advocacy group, said there is a sentiment in the bicycling community that McClure's punishment was too light.
“These things happen far too often, and people lose loved ones and people's lives are ruined. (The sentencing) is good news for this one case, but there's a lot of cases and there's a lot of work to do before we can claim our streets are truly safe places,” he said.
Adam Brandolph is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 412-391-0927 or abrandolph@tribweb.com.
