NEW PHILADELPHIA A 25-year-old Dover-area man was sentenced today to 30 months in prison for aggravated vehicular homicide in connection to with a Sept. 15 motorcycle crash that claimed the life of his fiancee, a New Philadelphia woman.
The sentence for Dakota A. DeMattio also covers the misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or combination of them.
Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos sentenced DeMattio to 180 days on the OVI charge, but the two charges are merged for sentencing purposes because they arose from the same criminal act.
Thomakos also gave DeMattio a five-year license suspension and three years of supervised parole following his release from prison. She said she would consider a motion for early release from prison if he had a clean record in the institution.
The fatal crash occurred as DeMattio and passenger Mackenzie M. DiPiero, 23, were riding south on state Route 800 near Mineral City. The motorcycle traveled left-of-center and off the left side of the road before the the motorcycle overturned and struck a guardrail.
Both DeMattio and DiPiero were taken to Mercy Medical Center in Canton, where DiPiero died from her injuries.
DeMattio pleaded guilty to the charges in April.
Tuesday's sentencing included victim impact statements from DiPiero's two sisters and her best friend from New Philadelphia High School.
DeMattio expressed remorse for his actions.
The hearing was witnessed by area high school students who were observing proceedings for Law Day.
Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com.
On Twitter: @nmolnarTR