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Anastasia Ciolpan was riding her bicycle in Bethany Beach late one summer evening when she was hit by a black Ford Escape in 2016, a crash that would claim her life less than two days later.

Now the driver, 25-year-old Dustin Lowe, formerly of Frankford — now living in Florida, will spend three months in prison and then be placed on probation after pleading guilty to the hit-and-run two summers ago.

In June 2016, 20-year-old Ciolpan of Moldova was riding a bicycle southbound on the shoulder of Kent Avenue after 11 p.m. on a Wednesday night when a black Ford Escape hit her from behind, throwing her to the ground in the right lane, just over the fog line, north of Jefferson Bridge Road.

Lowe, who was driving the vehicle, fled the scene. Ciolpan, who was in the country on a J-1 student visa and working at the Blue Crab that summer, was not wearing a helmet and did not have a light attached to her bike, but the bike did have appropriate reflectors, police said at the time. She died at Christiana Hospital that Friday, less than two days after the crash.

At the time of the crash, Lowe lived in Frankford, but soon moved to Florida after posting bond. 

It took nearly a year before Lowe was indicted by a grand jury with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.

On Thursday, he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of operating a motor vehicle and causing death. Sussex County Superior Court Judge E. Scott Bradley sentenced him to 30 months in prison, which will be suspended after 90 days.

Lowe, who was dressed in a dark gray shirt with a striped tie, declined to say anything during the hearing.

After three months in prison, Lowe will be placed on probation and be required to continue alcohol counseling and take a defensive driving course. He was not charged with driving under the influence at the time of the crash, but has recently been enrolled in counseling in his home state, said Lowe's attorney Eric Mooney.

If he violates probation, he faces spending the entire 30 months in prison.

Once he is released from prison, Lowe will be allowed to return to Florida and finish his probation.

Neither of the charges Lowe faced was a felony, Mooney said. He received the maximum sentence during his plea deal but could have faced more prison time under the mandatory six-month sentence that came with the original charge.

A state prosecutor said during the hearing that a settlement was reached with the family more than a year ago, but declined to comment or provide information about that settlement.

A Department of Justice spokesman said his agency was not involved in that settlement.

Mooney said an investigation revealed it was possible that the crash was not Lowe’s fault, but he was charged because he fled the scene.

“I think it was a fair resolution considering the facts and evidence,” Mooney said.

Contact reporter Maddy Lauria at (302) 345-0608, mlauria@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @MaddyinMilford.

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