The driver who struck and killed UCF student London Harrell in 2019 while she was walking near campus has been sentenced to 12 years in prison.
Yousuf Hasan pled no contest to one count of leaving the scene of a crash involving death and was sentenced on Wednesday, the Orlando Sentinel reports.
Circuit Judge Elaine Barbour also sentenced Hasan to eight years of supervised probation, which he will serve after his sentence, the Sentinel reports.
Hasan faced one felony charge of vehicular homicide and one felony charge of DUI manslaughter, but the Sentinel reports prosecutors agreed to drop the two charges filed against Hasan in a plea deal.
The plea deal was accepted by the judge during a hearing at the Orange County Courthouse, the Sentinel reports.
Just before 1 a.m. on June 22, 2019, Florida Highway Patrol reports state witnesses saw Hasan’s 2015 Acura hit Harrell while she was walking a grass shoulder near UCF’s main campus.
Knight News previously reported that crash and DUI troopers believe Hasan was under the influence of drugs at the time of the accident — it is not known at this time if Hasan’s blood samples confirmed this.
Hasan was accused of two DUI hit-and-runs in a single night. Before striking Harrell, FHP found parts of his bumper left on-scene near the intersection of Mandel Drive and Alafaya Trail.
The first hit-and-run FHP report from June 22, 2019, can be read here. The second hit-and-run FHP report can be read here.
Records state Hasan fled both scenes but was later found by Orange County Sheriff’s Officers near his vehicle in the parking lot of Collegiate Village Inn — a student housing complex on University Boulevard less than a mile from UCF’s main entrance.
Hasan was arrested, and on June 24, 2019, he was released on $11,500 bond.
A candlelight vigil was held on June 28, 2019.
Family, friends and loved ones gathered for a prayer vigil on the lawn of the UCF Reflection Pond on that Friday evening.
UCF Police Chief Carl Metzger told Knight News at the end of the vigil the atmosphere and sense of community support was something exemplified during the gathering.
“I’m proud of our campus tonight, coming together like true Knights,” Metzger said. “We are a family and tonight really demonstrates that.”
Harrell, a sister of UCF’s Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, was hospitalized for several days before succumbing to her injuries. The candlelight ceremony was held at UCF hours before her family announced her passing.
“She is no longer in pain and her bright light will shine in heaven – reminding us that doing for others should always be a priority,” Paula Cobb wrote in a Facebook post. “Miracles happen in many ways and for us having a few more days to spend with London was an answer to that prayer. I love you all.”
Hasan returned into police custody in connection to the death of Harrell but was released on bond days later.
