Scotia man gets up to 18 years in prison for driving drunk, high and causing fatal crash

A Scotia man was sentenced on Wednesday to 6 to 18 years in prison for causing a deadly crash while drunk and on drugs.

Gregory Mitchell, 32, pleaded guilty in July to aggravated vehicular homicide and reckless assault for the Oct. 21, 2023, crash that killed Jacqueline McCole.

Police said that Mitchell and McCole were leaving a Schenectady bar before the crash. Mitchell was seen on surveillance cameras stumbling into his vehicle and then driving the wrong way on a one-way street and stopping at a green light, according to the Schenectady County District Attorney’s Office.

He is seen speeding onto Eastern Parkway and driving in the middle of the road, causing another driver to pull to the side of the road. He then crashed into a parked van on the shoulder in the eastbound lane. The van was pushed forward 30 feet before striking and damaging a telephone pole McCole died instantly.

Police said Mitchell had a blood alcohol concentration of at least 0.17% — more than twice the legal limit. He also had marijuana in his system. A search of his vehicle found a half-empty bottle of liquor and a marijuana smoking device.

McCole’s sister, two daughters and mother spoke at sentencing, describing her as someone who loved life and was full of happiness. One daughter lamented that their mother will never walk her down the aisle or get to see her grandchildren grow up.