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Woman sentenced to 2 years in road rage case
By Joe Gorman
YOUNGSTOWN
Even after her cousin pleaded guilty to trying to run her and three others, including a 15-month-old child, off the road in August, Ma’lisa Taylor told a judge Tuesday she had no idea what has sparked her cousin’s rage.
Taylor told Judge R. Scott Krichbaum just before he was set to sentence 28-year-old Gracie Rollins on four counts of felonious assault that she is afraid if Rollins isn’t punished now, someone will be hurt in the future.
“She really has no reason to keep coming after me,” Taylor said. “I feel like if something isn’t done now, someone will get hurt.”
Rollins, of Zedaker Avenue, is accused of trying to ram a car off the road on South Avenue on Aug. 8 that Taylor was driving.
Inside were two teenagers and Taylor’s 15-month-old child.
Prosecutors and defense attorney Michael Gollings worked out a plea arrangement that called for Rollins to be sentenced to two years in prison, or two years for each count of felonious assault, with all to run concurrent to each other.
Taylor said two factions have been feuding for years but she has no idea why. She said the father of one of her children is with Rollins, but she added she has no feelings for the man anymore and does not care what he does as long as he stays away from her.
Taylor said this is the second time Rollins has accosted her in public.
She said two weeks before she was arrested after trying to ram her off the road that she and a group of people tried to fight her at a gas station.
“It’s like I can’t go out in public without watching my back,” Taylor said.
Rollins apologized and told Judge Krichbaum Taylor is to blame for the trouble, not herself. Rollins said with her past criminal record, however, people are more apt to believe Taylor than her.
“I feel she is the aggressor,” Rollins said of Taylor. “But I have a criminal history. She has the upper hand.”
Rollins said it is the father of Taylor’s child who is the cause of friction because Taylor does not approve of their relationship.
Judge Krichbaum said he did not think Rollins was sorry for anything.
He said that Rollins commited these crimes while she was on probation for other crimes, and he said he would uphold the plea agreement because Rollins can not appeal a sentence that is agreed upon.
Rollins was given credit for 151 days served in jail while awaiting the outcome of her case.