Ex-Ohio police officer sentenced to prison for deadly hit-and-run

COLUMBUS — A former Ohio police officer who admitted to being drunk when he hit a woman with his vehicle, killing her, and driving away last year is going to prison.

Demetris Ortega, 51, was sentenced to 18 months in prison Friday afternoon, according to our news partners at WBNS in Columbus.

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In addition to his sentence, Ortega will have his driver’s license suspended for three years. He will also have to be monitored for a maximum of two years after serving his sentence.

This all comes after Ortega, a former Columbus Division of Police officer, pleaded guilty to charges of failure to stop after an accident and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol in September. The charges stemmed from a deadly hit-and-run crash that happened in April 2022.

Ortega hit 30-year-old Naimo Abdirahman with his vehicle as she was crossing the street. After hitting her, he drove away from the scene. Abdirahman died at the scene, WBNS reported.

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Investigators determined Ortega that he had been drinking and was under the influence when the crash occurred. The vehicle involved was not his police cruiser.

Ortega was relieved of his duties not long after the crash happened.

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