Ottawa County woman goes to prison for 2022 fatal hit-and-run crash
A more serious charge of first-degree manslaughter drew a five-year suspended sentence for Mindy McBrien, 50, of Fairland.
McBrien tearfully testified before a crowd of supporters during her Ottawa County District Court sentencing, saying if she could trade places with the man she killed, Guang Xin Ye, a Chinese national, she would.
I want to apoligize to Mr. Ye. I am sorry for the family loss and will have to live with that for the rest of my life. I hope his family can forgive me.
Mindy McBrien, Jan. 28, 2025
McBrien also apologized to the community.
'I don't remember the accident, but I accept the consequences,' McBrien said.
Ye, 58, died on Feb. 5, 2022, nearly three years ago, from multiple blunt force injuries to his head and chest and had 12 broken ribs and three spinal cord fractures, according to an autopsy report. However, the manner of death is listed as an 'accident,' on the autopsy.
Previous testimony during the first sentencing hearing was that Ye had a 'massive head injury,' and his 'head had been torn loose.'
In an Elks Lodge surveillance video, an intoxicated McBrien is seen walking into the Elks Lodge parking lot, 'swaying' and 'stumbling' getting into her Jeep Cherokee. In another video, Ye's scooter headlight disappears under McBrien's vehicle, and showers of sparks are seen coming from the bottom of McBrien's Jeep.
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'This is a situation that makes my heart hurt,' said Associate Judge Matt Whalen.
'For Mr. Ye's unaccomplished hopes and dreams – for his family – for law enforcement who had to witness – for the community and for you,' Whalen said to McBrien.
This was the second sentencing hearing. Whalen threw the first pre-sentencing investigation report out, saying the report was 'lackluster.'
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Prosecutor Kathy Lahmeyer argued for McBrien to serve at least four years in prison, saying McBrien 'took a life, and she needs to be punished.'
McBrien's attorney, Winston Connor II, argued for probation or a deferred sentence. He also questioned whether McBrien's drink was 'roofied' and why no law enforcement officer had her blood drawn to see if she had been drugged.
'Everybody is going to wonder if she caused this or someone else,' Connor said. 'No one knows the answer,' referring to McBrien and the possibility she had been drugged.
'She has saved more lives than she has taken,' Connor said, referring to McBrien's nursing career.
'What this case comes down to is this person was too drunk to drive and ran over a person and left the scene,' Lahmeyer said. 'She drove over the top of a man and left him there to die.'
Lahmeyer told Whalen, Ye's life was worth something.
'She ran him over like a dog and left him lying in the street,' Lahmeyer said.
A second presentence investigation report showed McBrien had a low score of recidivism, no criminal history, and no alcohol or drug problems. Still, because Ye was killed, a prison sentence was recommended, the report stated.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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