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Corasanti was led away in handcuffs after having his sentence pronounced by Erie County Court Judge Sheila DiTulliio, who also assessed a $1,000 fine and had his driver's license suspended for 6 months.
Defense Attorney Joel Daniels says he is not surprised by the sentence and will not appeal it.
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Hear Reaction from Erie County Dist. Atty Frank Sedita Defense Atty. Joel Daniels Alix Rice's Parents SEE A WBEN PHOTO ALBUM Corasanti In Court - Led Away in Cuffs |
Taking the stand in his own defense, Corasanti said he never saw Rice and would have stopped and done whatever he could to help her if he'd known what had happened.
The misdeamanor only charge sparked wave upon wave of negative community reaction and spawned a brief letter writing campaign to Judge DiTullio urging the maximum sentence she pronounced Thursday in Erie County Court.
The jury's verdict clearing the Getzville doctor of all major counts outraged Rice's family and friends.Her parents on Thursday made emotional pleas asking for the maximum sentence.
Corasanti will serve his sentence at the Erie County Jail in Alden.
WBENs Eric Reinhardt is in the courtoom tweeting results to the WBEN Twitter Feed and has the latest on air at 930 am and 107.7 FM WBEN
The Erie County Court jury reached their decision in Corasanti's case after two days of deliberations. After that verdict, Erie County DA Frank Sedita said, "We did not get the results we desired. It appears that jurors bought the testimony of Dr. Corasanti."
During the monthlong trial, prosecutors argued that Corasanti was drunk, texting and speeding when he hit and killed 18-year-old Alexandria Rice after a country club outing last July.
Defense attorneys countered that he didn't know he'd hit a person until he got home and began investigating the damage to his car.
Prior to Thursday's sentencing, the 56-year-old doctor agreed to a consent decree with the state Department of Health that includes a $10,000 fine and five years of probation with that department.. He may practice medicine only under the supervision of another licensed physician while he is on that probation. He also must be monitored by a therapist and a sobriety monitor.
Corasanti was indicted last fall on charges of vehicular manslaughter, manslaughter, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and tampering with physical evidence. Together, the charges carried a potential prison term of up to 23 years.
Rice was struck the night of July 8 as she skateboarded along a suburban Buffalo road on her way home from her job at a pizzeria. She was thrown 167 feet, and her neck was broken on impact.
Prosecutors said Corasanti's blood-alcohol content was over the legal limit for driving five hours after the accident.
Corasanti's lawyers said the girl was moving along in a crouched position wearing non-reflective clothing.
