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Thomas Hutchins Former Sheriff's Deputy Sentenced in ShootingsBy Dan O'DonnellMILWAUKEE - A judge sentenced a former Milwaukee County Sheriff's deputy Thursday to 20 years in prison for shooting his girlfriend in the face, following her to a neighbor's house and accidentally shooting a 12-year-old girl. Thomas Hutchins, 40, had pleaded no contest to two charges of first degree reckless injury and one count of endangering safety through the use of a dangerous weapon in January. According to a criminal complaint, Hutchins and his then-girlfriend Petria Dent got into a violent argument just before Christmas. When she threatened to call police, Hutchins shot her in the face and then followed her as she ran to her neighbor's home. When Dent locked the front door behind her, Hutchins fired several shots. Three bullets struck a young girl in the leg and hand.
"It's only pure luck that he's not facing two counts of reckless homicide," said Deputy District Attorney Patrick Kenney. Dent has undergone five surgeries since the incident, and the girl still has heavy scars. She and several of her siblings who were home at the time of the incident are still in therapy. |
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