Wrightsville man sentenced to six months for crash leading to the death of Hannah Tome
Isaac Shoff, 20, of Wrightsville was sentenced to six months in York County Prison for a fatal car accident leading to the death of Hannah Tome.
On Nov. 16, 2022, Shoff pleaded guilty to a felony count of vehicular homicide.
He was charged with vehicular homicide, recklessly endangering another person, and five summary traffic offenses.
Morning of the fatal car crash
Shoff lost control of his car while speeding over a hill on Yorkana Road around 2:50 a.m. on April 27, 2021. The car spun, struck an embankment, crashed into a utility pole, and then rolled a couple of times into a field.
When police arrived, they found 18-year-old Hannah Tome, of Hellam Township, lying on the ground. She was still conscious and in pain when EMS responders arrived around 2:58 a.m., according to the affidavit.
But Tome died from multiple injuries less than an hour later.
Shoff and another passenger survived the crash.
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When asked what happened, Shoff said he was trying to avoid a deer before he swerved on the road, hitting something else and crashing into a nearby field, according to the affidavit.
He initially told investigators he was going 50 mph at the time of the crash but later said 65mph after police pointed out the damage to his vehicle, according to the affidavit.
Police interviewed the other passenger, who was a minor at the time of the crash, and asked if Shoff was “trying to catch air” before the crash. The passenger said "Yeah." But when asked about Shoff’s driving during the day before the crash, the passenger said, “He always drives with the speed,” according to the affidavit.
The passenger told police he believed Shoff was driving 80 or 85 mph at the time of the crash.
The car went into the air, hit an embankment and a pole, and rolled three or four times, according to the passenger. He told officers that when he got out of the car, he saw Shoff hanging halfway out the window and Tome crawling away from the wreckage.
According to police, Tome was ejected through the back window as the car rolled. She was not wearing a seatbelt.
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Police also received a Snapchat video Tome recorded the evening before the crash as she rode with Shoff and the other passenger, exclaiming they drove into a field “again,” according to the affidavit.
Pennsylvania State Police crash investigators said they determined Shoff was driving 90 mph when he lost control while driving over the hill. He was going about 72 mph when he crashed, according to the affidavit.
The speed limit on the road was 40 mph.
An autopsy determined Tome died of multiple blunt force injuries, including multiple fractures, head and spinal trauma.
According to the affidavit, only caffeine was in Shoff's system.
Sentencing
More than five family members read their notes to Court of Common Pleas Judge Amber Kraft. Through their written words, they shined a light on who Tome was to them, including her 11-year-old sister and mother, Debra Heffner.
In her own letter, Heffner stressed that their little family will never be the same.
“I’ve dreaded writing this letter for a while," said Heffner. "Hannah was an amazing girl. She would talk to anyone, and made everyone her friend. She loved music. Typically she was the kind of girl that would try to uplift everyone and make them happy. Truthfully, I think it helped with her depression."
"She never got into trouble, she was smart and got good grades," said Heffner. "She was 18 years young and just got started on figuring out the world. Her life was just beginning. April 27, 2021, was the worst day of my life. I wish no parent has to experience that pain. Our family of three will now be a family of two and will be forever broken. I just lost one of the most important people in my life. Hannah was a strong girl and she fought for her life. Driving for me is now traumatic.”
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The family of Tome asked Judge Kraft to give Shoff the maximum sentence. They were worried that if Shoff got a slap on the wrist, it would not stop what happened to their loved one from happening again.
Heffner believes that even though Tome did not have her seatbelt on, Shoff was recklessly driving on a hill, which led to her death.
But Defense Attorney Thomas Leslie said he believed that Shoff's behavior on the day of the incident does not reflect Shoff's growth of character, including his getting a job and an apartment to support his family and himself.
“Isaac has shown he is responsible for not only himself but his family," Leslie said. "I ask the court to give Isaac an opportunity to show that this (his past behavior) is not in his character."
When asked if Shoff had anything to say, he apologized to Tome's family.
Shoff was sentenced to six months in jail. He is required to attend a traffic safety course and serve 100 community hours at a charity of Heffner's choice. He is prohibited from having any traffic violations.
Heffner is not satisfied with the sentence.
“I don't think it was fair seeing all the actions since her life was taken," said Heffner. "I know I have to respect the sentence and that nothing will bring Hannah back. Everyone Hannah impacted, a piece of her lives in us and we will continue to spread the kindness she had or that she did."
Another family member, Denise Miller, agrees.
“We need to do better," said Miller. "There needs to be better laws. When you are driving too fast and someone is telling you to slow down, you need to listen. We need to do better because that is what Hannah did. We need to be better for her.”
This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Isaac Shoff sentenced to six months in prison for death of Hannah Tome
