Thousands sign online petition supporting Cameron Herrin

London: Thousands of people have added their names to an online petition in support of Cameron Herrin,  a 21-year-old man, who was sentenced to 24 years in prison in April for killing an Ohio mother and her young daughter in a 2018 traffic crash.

Herrin’s family has challenged the verdict and is waiting to hear from the court. Launched by Sonam Rajput, the online petition got momentum as 17,000 people signed it within two days.

Sonam wrote “Cameron Herrin, 21, was racing a friend in his Ford Mustang on May 23, 2018  Jessica Reisinger-Raubenolt, 24, and her daughter, 1-year-old Lillia, were crossing a Tampa street when the cars approached the intersection.”

The petitioner added, “Herrin’s friend swerved out of the way, but Herrin swerved into Jessica and Lillia, resulting in both of their deaths. Herrin’s friend, John Barrineau, received a six-year prison sentence for his role.”

She then appealed, “I think 24 years is too much for him. I want you all lovely people who think it’s absolutely not right to jail the young man for 24 years, which is worst than death. Please do sign and share this petition as much as you can, so that we can help to get out Cameron Herrin.

The petition read, “He is very young . I have humble request to all of you please support my petition for him. We live only once. With your help we can save him and we can get him another chance in court again.”

In April, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Christopher Nash heard hours of testimony before announcing his decision to send Cameron Herrin to prison.

Herrin hit Jessica Reisinger-Raubenolt and her 1-year-old daughter Lillia with the Mustang he’d received for his high school graduation two days earlier. They were visiting Tampa from Jeromesville, Ohio.

He was heading to a gym on the morning of May 23, 2018. Witnesses later told investigators that Herrin and his friend John Barrineau, who was driving a Nissan, appeared to be racing on Tampa’s Bayshore Boulevard. Police said Reisinger-Raubenolt, 24, was pushing her daughter in a stroller when Herrin’s car hit them.