Memorial run in Austintown for jogger struck, killed by car reaches goal

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Brittany Szwedko ran dozens of races during her brief lifetime, but it's the two races in which she couldn't participate for which she will always be remembered.

The second, and final, Brittany Szwedko Memorial 5K and Dog Walk was Sunday at Austintown Township Park on Kirk Road. Proceeds from Sunday and from last year's inaugural event were to raise money for a $1,000 scholarship to be awarded each year, in Brittany's name, to a marketing student at Youngstown State University.

"We reached our goal," said Brittany's mom, Mary Kay Szwedko. "We needed to raise $25,000 to make the scholarship happen, and we've done that." About $20,000 was raised last year, and another $10,000 or so this year.

She explained that the race is "very emotional," and that she now lives an hour away in Aurora, so she decided that two races were enough.

"I'm blessed with the support we have from the community and from our family and friends," she said.

Brittany was jogging along Ridge Road in Fowler Township, Trumbull County, when she was struck by a vehicle driven by Russell G. Laurer III of Cortland just more than a year ago. Lauer was sentenced last month to nine years in prison for charges that included aggravated vehicular homicide.

Read the full story Monday in The Vindicator and on Vindy.com