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Driver in crash says dog may be to blame in girl’s death

A 5-year-old girl was killed in two-vehicle crash on National Road.

HANDOUT Hannah Gough

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By Jessica Heffner, Staff Writer Updated 9:01 AM Friday, February 10, 2012

SPRINGFIELD — An attorney for a woman accused of killing a 5-year-old girl in a crash said it might have been an impact with the family pet that caused the fatal blow.

The prosecutor called the theory “irrelevant.”

Hannah Gough, 22, of Medway, is charged with vehicular manslaughter and vehicular homicide for an Aug. 15 crash.

Her SUV slammed into the back of a minivan that had slowed down for a deer in the 4500 block of West National Road, killing  5-year-old Lauren Drummond.

A dog inside the van was also killed. Jaye Drummond, his wife, Kelly, and 3-year-old son, Matthew, were also in the van but did not have life-threatening injuries.

At a pretrial hearing Thursday, Gough’s attorney Jon Paul Rion said autopsy reports have him questioning if the crash was criminal or just “a very, very strange accident.”

Autopsy reports indicate Lauren died after being struck in the head. Rion said he is investigating whether the dog may have struck the girl, causing the fatal injury, and if it happened during the crash or when Jaye Drummond hit the brakes for a deer.

Springfield Prosecutor Mike Shiels said the theory that the dog possibly caused Lauren’s fatal injury is “irrelevant” to the case.

“Ultimately, the crash is what caused the death of the child,” Shiels said.

Rion said: “If it was the dog that caused this, we’ll need to determine when the dog caused this. It may have happened pre-impact as opposed to post. There was deceleration involved when the deer was being decelerated for.”

Shiels said there is no evidence to support that Lauren was struck in the head prior the crash.

“It’s pretty evident that Ms. Gough is trying to find as many other people to blame other than herself,” Shiels said.

“All of these issues belong in civil court.”

Experts will begin reviewing evidence in the case. Another hearing is not expected for several months.

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