By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

Sheree Nicole Sisk

WARSAW — A Warsaw woman received a four-year sentence after hitting a pedestrian and leaving the scene of the accident.

Sheree Nicole Sisk, 34, 1048 Pike Shore Drive, Warsaw, was charged with failure to stop after an accident resulting in injury, a level 4 felony. A charge of causing serious injury while operating a motor vehicle with a controlled substance in the body was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

Sisk was sentenced in Kosciusko Superior Court Three on Tuesday, June 15.

Around 11 p.m. May 13, 2019, the Warsaw Police Department was dispatched to Anchorage Road near Shamrock Trailer Park. The dispatch regarded a hit-and-run involving a pedestrian.

According to court documents, officers found Carolyn Flores laying on her stomach near the west entrance of the trailer park. Flores suffered injuries on her lower body, including a broken ankle. Her left leg was also broken.

A witness said she and Flores were walking east toward Meijer when she heard a noise and saw the grocery cart Flores was pushing roll away. Shen then saw Flores’ body land in front of her.

The witness said the car that hit Flores sped up after the impact and left the scene. Moments later, Sisk contacted police. She told officers she may have seen a dog or deer enter the roadway, swerved to miss it and hit a utility pole or mailbox. Officers then went to Sisk’s workplace to speak with her and assess her vehicle’s damage.

While speaking with Sisk, an officer connected her story with the hit-and-run reported earlier on Anchorage Road. Sisk consented to a chemical test.

On May 14, 2019, the results of Sisk’s test showed 11-Nor-9 Carboxy THC – a form of cannabis – was in her system at the time of the accident.

Following her test, an officer interviewed Sisk about the accident. Sisk said that a dog or what appeared to be a dog darted out from the trailer park. She said she swerved to miss the dog and hit something else. After the impact, Sisk said she looked in her rearview mirror but did not see a dog or anything else behind her vehicle. She proceeded to her workplace.

At the time, Sisk said she didn’t have time to stop after the impact because she would be late for work. She said she was probably traveling 45 mph on Anchorage Road at the time. She also consented to a search of her cellphone.

Officers found a text chain between Sisk and another individual starting at 11:03 p.m. May 13, 2019. Sisk told the text’s recipient that she hit something but was not sure what she hit.

Flores suffered fractures to her shoulder blades, pelvis and ankles. She also sustained rib injuries and a broken femur.

During court proceedings, Defense Attorney David Kolbe noted that Sisk has no prior criminal history and has taken full responsibility for what he called a “horrible, tragic accident.” He said Sisk was denied participation in Kosciusko County’s Community Corrections program due to the types of injuries involved in the case. However, he said Sisk was accepted to Michiana Community Corrections.

“She’s taken every bit of responsibility,” said Kolbe. “She’s a model citizen in every way.”

Several people attended the court proceedings in support of Sisk.

“My biggest mistake was not stopping and helping Carolyn Flores,” said Sisk.

Prior to sentencing, Kosciusko Superior Court Three Judge Chad Miner said there were no aggravators with Sisk’s case but a few mitigators. The mitigators included Sisk having no criminal history and taking responsibility for what happened.

For failure to stop after an accident resulting in injury, Judge Miner sentenced Sisk to four years in the Kosciusko County Jail. Two years of the sentence will be executed and two years were suspended on probation. Miner said he had no objection to Sisk’s executed sentence being served through work release or Michiana Community Corrections.

Sisk’s driver’s license was also suspended for two years.