HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – In May 2018, 24-year-old Jessica Reisinger-Raubenolt and her 21-month-old daughter, Lillia Raubenolt were killed as they tried to cross Bayshore Boulevard.
A judge handed down the sentence of 24 years in prison on Thursday to Cameron Herrin, 21, Thursday evening after hours of testimony from witnesses, including Herrin’s family members, friends, a former circuit court judge, and a forensic psychiatrist.
Herrin pleaded guilty in December to vehicular homicide and unlawful racing on a highway after hitting and killing Jessica Reisinger-Raubenolt and her daughter, Lillia.
Authorities said Herrin was racing along Bayshore at more than 100 miles per hour in a Mustang and hit Reisinger-Raubenolt as she was pushing her child in a stroller. Herrin was 18 at the time of the crash.
Since the accident, the speed limit on Bayshore has been reduced to 35 miles per hour. Crosswalks with flashing lights and a stoplight have been installed to help pedestrians cross the street more safely.
Stephanie Paladino lives in Tampa and thinks the 24-year sentence given to Herrin was the right thing to do.
“An appropriate sentence for someone who was acting reckless and unfortunately took lives and had to suffer the consequences for that,” said Paladino.
Matt Schuck and his wife frequently exercise on Bayshore and also feel bad for all of the families involved.
“It’s hard, my wife and I empathize with both sides. We have two boys, 10 and 7, and just thinking about how a dumb can change the rest of your life. We ride on Bayshore all the time, my wife runs out here, we bring our kids out here, so just thinking about how something that happens in a split second changes your life,” said Schuck.
Brian Raubenolt, the brother-in-law of the victim says he hopes the long prison term given Thursday will send a strong message.
“I believe today is an important day of the outcome of this hearing will perhaps start a precedent and deter people from doing what happened on May 23, 2018,” said Raubenolt.
