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Man Who Plowed Through Street Festival, Killing ALHS Grad, Has Pleaded Guilty

2003 graduate Mitch Andelmo killed at festival.

 

The 35-year-old Lakewood man, who killed two people, including an Avon Lake High School graduate, after driving his vehicle into a crowded street festival while drunk, has pleaded guilty in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.

Timothy Spock, of Lakewood, faces up to 26 years in prison at his Dec. 3 scheduled sentencing.

The July 29 crash at the Dancin’ in the Street event in Cleveland killed Lakewood resident and 2003 Avon Lake High School graduate Mitchell Andelmo and Basil Bass of Cleveland, and injured two others.

Last week, Spock withdrew his not-guilty plea, and pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide; vehicular homicide; and vehicular manslaughter — all second-degree felonies. Each carries a prison sentence up to eight years.

He also pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular assault, a third-degree felony, and driving under the influence of alcohol, a first-degree misdemeanor.

According to the police report, the street on Clifton Boulevard was barricaded at West 117th Street and east of that location because of the Dancin’ in the Street festival. A vehicle was traveling eastbound on Clifton Boulevard and struck the barricade, drove over it and into a crowd, which was in a tented area.

The festival is one of Cleveland's largest LGBT fundraisers run by the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland.

The vehicle struck five people who were taken to MetroHealth Medical center for treatment — Bass and Andelmo later died as a result of their injuries.

A blood-alcohol test found that Spock had been drinking alcohol prior to the crash, according to police.

At Avon Lake High School, Andelmo was a member of the Model UN club, Academic Challenge and the Diversity Club and recalled by one teacher as "brilliant."

His father Henry Andelmo, owner of Sam’s Garage Door Service, still resides in Avon Lake.

Related Topics: Avon Lake, Dancin' in the Street, Drunk Driver Sentenced, and Mitch Andelmo

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