Both sides agree that Aiden Lucas Cox should spend time in prison for the tragic death of his 15-year-old friend MacKenna Rector , a 10th grade Vanguard High School student. The only question: for how long?
In May 2022, a then 15-year-old Cox, also a student at Vanguard, was behind the wheel of his mother’s vehicle when he crashed into another vehicle. His passenger, MacKenna, died.
Cox was charged with vehicular homicide and not having a valid driver’s license/death or great bodily injury.
Cox’s lawyer, Jacques Ward, of the Office of Criminal Civil Regional Counsel, asked the judge to impose a three-year prison term followed by three years of probation. Assistant State Attorney Marissa Meyer wanted 10 years in prison and five years of probation.
If the judge declined the state’s sentence recommendation, Meyer said, then the punishment should be seven years in prison and e eight years probation.
Judge’s decision
After hearing from the lawyers and also considering testimony at Cox’s sentencing hearing on Monday, Circuit Judge Lisa Herndon told Cox, now 18, he will go to prison for five years and then complete 10 years of probation.