YOUNGSTOWN — Montreal Moore, 31, of Katherine Avenue, was sentenced to one year in prison Thursday for leaving the scene of a fatal accident, in which he hit a pedestrian with his car, stayed behind to help the victim but then left.

He already has served 191 days in the Mahoning County jail awaiting trial, and he gets credit for that time against his sentence. He pleaded guilty to failure to stop after an accident and could have gotten as much as three years in prison.

Nick Brevetta, county assistant prosecutor, told Judge Maureen Sweeney of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court that prosecutors were recommending that Moore get two years in prison.

Moore has “a pretty serious criminal history,” with multiple prison sentences. He added that this case involves “someone who lost his life.” A family member of the victim, Jovan Vuckovic, 63, of Youngstown, attended the hearing but did not wish to offer any remarks to the judge.

The accident was at 8:45 p.m. Sept. 7, 2022, when Moore was driving west on East Indianola Avenue, when Moore struck pedestrian Vuckovic, 63, of Youngstown Pittsburgh Road in Poland, in front of 353 East Indianola Ave. Vuckovic, who was walking on the road facing traffic, was killed.

Moore left the scene in a black or dark-colored vehicle, a witness said.

Vuckovic’s death certificate states that his death was the result of blunt force injuries to the head, trunk and extremities due to a motor vehicle vs. pedestrian accident. His death was ruled accidental.

The report states Vuckovic died at 12:42 a.m. Sept. 8 at St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital. The area where Vuckovic was hit was dark, and the roadway was not illuminated. The posted speed limit was 25 miles per hour.

When ambulance personnel arrived, they found Vuckovic with serious injuries, and he was not responsive. A blood test indicated Vuckovic’s blood-alcohol content was 0.254, three times the legal limit to drive of 0.08.

Tom Zena, Moore’s attorney, said it is true that Moore struck Vuckovic with Moore’s car, but Vuckovic “was in the middle of the road.” Zena said he went to the scene and spoke with all of the police officers involved with the case.

“The neighbors told me (Vuckovic) had a habit of walking in the middle of the road, in the middle of the night, sometimes even laying in the street,” Zena said. One person told police, “I told him some day you are going to get hit by a car, you are going to get killed,” Zena said. And, Vuckovic was three times over the legal limit for alcohol.

Moore is convicted of leaving the scene, but in the moments after the crash, Moore “immediately stopped his car right in front of everybody, picked up the victim, took him to the side of the road and stood there with other people who came out. They were calling 911, and then he panicked and left,” Zena said. “He made no attempt to hide his identity.”

After Moore’s family called Zena the next day, Zena “immediately” took Moore to the police station to talk to crash investigators. The investigator did not know much about the case yet, and he sent Moore home.

Moore also spoke to the judge, saying that East Indianola was “a very dark street” and he did not know what he hit.