EAST AURORA, N.Y. — It was an emotional sentencing Wednesday night for an 18-year-old who backed into and killed an East Aurora mother last summer.
Alec Vaccare learned Wednesday night that he would not face any jail time.
Vaccare faced no criminal charges, but did plead guilty to unsafe backing and unsafe start in connection with the death of 48-year-old Wendy Bus.
Prosecutors say last June, the teen was backing up to talk to his friends when he backed into the victim while she was pushing a grocery cart at the Tops in East Aurora. In court Wednesday evening, Vaccare apologized to her family.
Prosecutors say because they found the incident to not be intentional, they decided to only charge him with vehicle and traffic violations. Bus' husband said he did not want to pursue any criminal charges because he didn't want to put his family through a trial.
"As far as hatred for him, as far as any ill will that I have against, no, I let that go a long time ago. He's going to have to live with himself. I have to move on and raise two beautiful children. That's my job," said Mark Bus.
More than 1,000 people attended Wendy's funeral last summer. Many of them were in court to support her family.
The judge did order Vaccare to pay nearly $500 in fines and court fees. Vaccare's license has been revoked and he was ordered to take a safe driving course.
While Vaccare will not face any jail time, a civil case is pending.