JOHNSTOWN — A court date has yet to be set for Spencer Lorenza, 17, of Johnstown, who was facing four charges following a Sept. 1 automobile accident after being pursued by Utica police officers. The accident resulted in the death of his 16-year-old passenger Hannah Gattrell.
Licking County Prosecutor Kenneth Oswalt told the News on Tuesday that he has been seeking the option of having Lorenza tried as an adult.
“The chances of getting him formally being bound over to be tried solely as an adult aren’t looking very likely,” said Oswalt. “What is still up in the air is what’s called a ‘blended sentence’ which is a statute created for somebody who might qualify as a serious youthful offender. That’s still on the table.”
Oswalt said that a psychological evaluation is being ordered which may determine whether legally the standards for the adult trial can be met. The blended sentence would allow the juvenile court to impose any juvenile sentence and would set out an adult sentence stating that if the defendant commits certain types of violations while under the court’s jurisdiction, the court could then be asked to invoke the adult sentence.
