PORTSMOUTH- A hearing date has been set for Rusty Rule’s judicial release motion.
Rule pleaded guilty in September in connection with the December 2020 hit-skip crash that ultimately caused the death of local downtown fixture Rich Moon, also known as “Moonie.” Moon was a pedestrian in the crosswalk of U.S. 52 and Chillicothe Street when he was struck by Rule’s van. The incident was caught on the cameras of nearby businesses.
According to documents filed with the Scioto County Clerk of Courts, Rule filed the motion on June 13. He will return to the courtroom of Scioto County Court of Common Pleas Judge Mark Kuhn at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 1, for a judicial release hearing.
Rule, 42, of Portsmouth, was sentenced to 54 months in prison. As of the motion filing, he had served 11 months. Rule pleaded to vehicular homicide and failure to stop after an accident, claiming he had been high on fentanyl at the time of the initial crash. He has been incarcerated at Chillicothe Correctional Institution since late September 2023.
If Rule serves his entire sentence, he would be eligible for release Dec. 30, 2027.
In the motion, Rule states he is remorseful and “has used his time constructively to develop and enhance pro-social attributes, to meet rehabilitative goals and to develop marketable skills and education.”
Moon, 70, was well-known for his walks throughout Portsmouth, and his musical and storytelling talents. His image is featured in multiple downtown murals. Moon died of his injuries Dec. 16, 2020, at Grant Medical Center in Columbus.
Reach Lori McNelly at [email protected] or at (740) 353-3101 ext. 1928. © 2024 Portsmouth Daily Times, all rights reserved
