Family of Medina woman critically injured in hit-skip questioning justice system

multiple broken bones a collapsed lung and a torn liver just some of the injuries a Medina woman suffered after she was hit by a car and that driver just took off police did track him down but now the victim's family is questioning if there will be Justice because a hearing this month could eliminate even the possibility of a guilty finding and you're getting kicked in the face through the judicial system over something like that that hurts that really hurts only on News 5 our Bob Jones explains

the potential roadblock in this case and we do want to warn you that some of the images in Bob's story are graphic but the victim wanted us to show you what she survived it was just after 7:30 at night November 11th Madina police raced to East Smith Road after Witnesses reported a terrifying hit and run the woman fell off of the curb we tried to warn the passing vehicle and he ran over her 55-year-old Laura Schmid was walking home trying to cross the street but she tripped in a leaf pile and fe

ll in the road as Good Samaritans tried to help her to her feet an SUV heading eastbound struck Laura critically injuring her and a male very tall male exited the vehicle kind of looked around potentially realizing what he did and then got back into the vehicle and sped off a nearby business camera captured the suspect vehicle a bright blue Jeep Compass taking off after the hit skip meantime police contacted l husband Mark schmuck who hurried to Cleveland Clinic Madina hospital so at that point

you didn't know if she was going to survive I had no idea even the sergeant U Nate Simpson said it doesn't look good pictures show just how extensive Laura's injuries were she was taken by medical helicopter to Cleveland Clinic akan General she had nine broken ribs five broken vertebrae broken pelvis bone uh forehead was broken nose was broken she had a torn liver and a collapsed lung despite the horrific injuries Laura survived there's no real excuse in my mind for fleeing detective Michael wov

a focused on finding that driver so how important was it for you to solve this case it was a huge deal police began searching car images on the flock camera system and found a jeep that appeared to match the hit skip vehicle coming into Madina the night before the accident and heading north in middleberg Heights about 20 minutes after Laura was hit Detectives got a license plate leading wova to the owner of the car who told police she was in the passenger seat that night and her boyfriend was dr

iving detective wova says when the suspect's girlfriend was questioned she admitted they panicked that night and they were in a hurry on their way to the airport so she could catch a flight for a cruise kind of outrageous thinking isn't it yeah when somebody else's you know life and well-being is on the line and your thought is I need to go on vacation police say it turned out Jayvon Thomas was driving the jeep which was recovered at a relative's home in Cleveland Thomas was arrested and indicte

d for felony failure to stop after an accident the break in the case brought relief to Laura and Mark yeah he took off but he got caught and when you get caught you should pay the consequences but now Mark is frustrated over a motion before the court called Intervention in lie of conviction or eyelock if the judge grants it Thomas could plead guilty to the indictment but a guilty finding would not be made instead he would be supervised by probation and if he completes a program the charge would

be dismissed if the judge allows this to happen he might as well get in his car prosecutors get in their car and drive back over her again it's a same feeling defendants charged with first second or third degree felonies are not eligible for ilock but Thomas who is facing a fourth degree felony was able to apply it's an alternative to a conviction that seeks rehabilitation for the defendant in the cases where there is a genuine underlying substance abuse issue or mental health issue in Thomas's

case his attorney says Thomas has mental health issues that will be assessed and corrected through ilock this is a scar that sticks with somebody to rest at their life Mark says Laura continues to deal with emotional trauma and likely will have back pain the rest of her life on March 15th the judge is expected to decide if intervention in lie of conviction would be appropriate for the suspect oh I'm going to be there I'm going to be there with my impact statement my wife will be there she won't

be able to get up and speak she's emotional she'll break down in Madina Bob Jones news5