ALFRED — A 42-year-old Limerick man whom authorities said had snorted fentanyl and was driving on a suspended license when he struck and killed a jogger in Limerick last year was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

William George was convicted of manslaughter and a number of other charges following a plea hearing last week and was ordered by York County Superior Court Justice Wayne Douglas to serve seven years of the 15-year sentence.

George, whose driver’s license had previously been suspended five times when the crash took place, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with the July 4, 2016 death of John Mullin, who was jogging on the sidewalk around noon that day. Mullin was vacationing on Pickerel Pond in Limerick with his family.

Sheriff’s deputies were called to the area of 140 Washington St., also known as Route 11, for an injured pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle that left the scene of the accident, York County Sheriff Bill King said at the time. 

Deputies found Mullin, 46, of Wilmington, Massachusetts, unconscious with severe injuries. He died in the hospital later that night. 

According to court papers, George told authorities he accidentally hit a vacationer with a car when he swerved to avoid hitting a squirrel in the road and ran onto the Washington Street sidewalk where the victim was located. Then he drove away.

“It was me,” George told Deputy Duane Fay, according to the affidavit. “I was the one that hit the man. There was a squirrel in the road, and I swerved to avoid it.”

Fay asked why he didn’t stop.

Said George: “I was scared, because I don’t have a license.”

York County District Attorney Kathryn Slattery, who announced the verdict Wednesday afternoon, said George had been snorting fentanyl when his car jumped the sidewalk.  

He drove away on two flat tires, and with a shattered windshield, Slattery said in a prepared statement.

George was also convicted of operating under the influence causing death and operating under suspension causing death, for which he was sentenced to seven years in prison, to be served concurrently. He drew a 3 1/2-year suspended term for aggravated leaving the scene of an accident. 

He is to serve two years probation upon his release, Slattery said, and his license was suspended by the court for the maximum 10-year period.

Slattery said George had been previously convicted three times of driving while his license was suspended, and was convicted in 2006 of trafficking in scheduled drugs.

Kyle Myska prosecuted the case; attorney Joseph Mekonis represented George.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.