The North Baltimore man who struck a school bus last year, injuring several of the passengers, has been sentenced.
Aaron Hilt, 33, appeared April 1 in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Molly Mack.
Hilt was intoxicated on Sept. 7 when he struck the rear end of an Arlington School District school bus on 1-75 near North Baltimore. The bus was filled with 39 students and faculty returning home from a junior high school football game.
According to reports, while Hilt’s vehicle careened off 1-75, through a fence, and came to rest on a side road, the school bus driver was able to bring the bus to a controlled stop.
Several students and staff went to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Hilt had been indicted in September for 13 counts of aggravated vehicular assault, two counts of operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, and one count of vandalism.
He pleaded guilty Feb. 13 and was sentenced April 1 to 12 months in prison for five counts of aggravated vehicular assault to be served consecutively for a total of five years.
He also was sentenced to six months for the OVI charge, to served concurrently, and was ordered to pay a mandatory fine of $1,500.
The remaining charges were dismissed.
Hilt must pay restitution totaling $4,804.67 to the school district and five families who had children injured in the crash.
Once released from prison, his operator’s license will be suspended for six years.
