Salem woman sentenced to one year in prison for fatal beating

Salem woman sentenced to one year in prison for fatal crash

A Salem woman who pleaded guilty in March to her involvement in a fatal dumpster accident learned her fate Tuesday.

Patricia Phillips, 30, was sentenced to one year in prison and a three-year driver's license suspension for a criminal charge of leaving the scene of an accident.

The charge stems from a dumpster accident that resulted in the death of Brandy Lasky, 46, of Salem, who was walking along Route 344 in Perry Township in March 2022. Phillips said she did not She wasn't arrested at the scene because I thought she had hit a deer.

The maximum sentence Phillips could have faced was three years. Lasky's family members said they were disappointed the judge did not impose a full punishment.

“We lost a sister, a best friend, a grandmother, a mom and we expected a stricter outcome than what we saw here today,” said Eric Lasky, Brandy Lasky's brother.

He believes Phillips' recent OVI accusation in May 2024 shows she did not hold herself responsible for the accident.

“What so many of our family members took issue with today is that his actions have not changed in any way,” Eric said.

But Phillips apologized to the family in court, saying it had affected them.

“I can't imagine what[Brady's]family has gone through because I've spent two years and three months not being able to function as a person” Phillips said just before hearing the prison sentence.[deBrady}avécuparcequej'aipassédeuxansettroismoissanspouvoirfonctionnerentantquepersonne”adéclaréPhillipsjusteavantd'entendrelapeinedeprison[Brady’s}familyhasgonethroughbecauseI’vespenttwoyearsandthreemonthsnotbeingabletofunctionasaperson”Phillipssaidjustbeforehearingtheprisonsentence

Phillips' sister Brandy was also involved in the case and had previously pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice when she gave false information about the accident. She was sentenced to three years of probation.