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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Lisa Rinna remembers her father ... Gov. Brown outlines role for Oregon's next education officer ... Deputy claims retaliation by Klamath Cunty sheriff ... Lisa Rinna remembers her father ... Gov. Brown outlines role for Oregon's next education officer ... Deputy claims retaliation by Klamath Cunty sheriff ... PUBLIC SAFETY California man sentenced to probation in hit-and-run Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jan. 19, 2016 at 6:41 PM Updated Jan 20, 2016 at 9:43 AM By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jan. 19, 2016 at 6:41 PM Updated Jan 20, 2016 at 9:43 AM » Social News A Northern California man was sentenced to probation after a Medford pedestrian he hit asked the court for leniency. Ronald Steven Cook, 60, of Ukiah, Calif., was sentenced to supervised probation Thursday on charges stemming from a December 2014 hit-and-run in Medford. In a plea agreement, Cook admitted to hitting a 22-year-old pedestrian at about 11:30 p.m. Dec. 5, 2014, while driving his 2014 Toyota pickup on the East Barnett Road overpass above Interstate 5. The victim was transported to Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center with head injuries, including a laceration on the back of his head that required 12 staples. According to court documents, the recommended sentence is 24 to 30 months, and prosecutors had recommended 16 months in prison in the plea agreement. The plea left an option for three years' supervised probation. According to Jackson County District Attorney Beth Heckert, the victim appeared in court and asked for leniency with Cook's sentence. "The victim came in and made a statement to the court asking for some leniency, so the judge did grant optional probation," Heckert said. According to court documents, witnesses saw a dark shadow leave the driver's side of the pickup to check on the victim, then return to his vehicle and drive toward nearby motels. Officers found a vehicle matching the description at the Best Western Horizon Inn. When police knocked on the hotel room door, a woman who said she was a friend of Cook's answered, and said Cook dropped her off at the hotel room at 10:30 p.m. Police kept watch on the hotel until Cook returned at 6 a.m. Cook admitted to police that he had been driving the pickup, and told police that the man was in the middle of the roadway when he hit him. Police said Cook failed field sobriety tests, and a drug recognition evaluator suspected he was under the influence of stimulants at the time of the accident. Cook pleaded guilty in Jackson County Circuit Court to felony charges of third-degree assault and failure to perform the duties of a driver to an injured person, and a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence of intoxicants. He also signed away any rights to the $15,000 bail he posted, which will go to the victim. Reach reporter Nick Morgan at 541-776-4471 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at @MTCrimeBeat. By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Follow @@mtcrimebeat Posted Jan. 19, 2016 at 6:41 PM Updated Jan 20, 2016 at 9:43 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501