VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Matthew Rushin’s family now knows when he will be released from prison.
The 22-year-old will be released from the Nottoway Correction Center on March 29, according to the Virginia Department of Corrections.
On January 4, 2019, Rushin crashed head-on into a car in Virginia Beach leaving George Cusick, 77, with serious injuries.
Rushin pleaded guilty to two counts of malicious wounding and one count of felony hit-and-run. He was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison. He originally faced other charges, including attempted murder.
In November, Governor Ralph Northam granted Rushin a partial pardon, which aligned his sentence with the sentencing guidelines for his convictions.
In a social media post, his mother, Lavern Rushin, thanked the thousands of people, including celebrities, who have supported their family.
She has long said her son is autistic and was not treated fairly the night of this arrest. Her relentless fight for her son garnered national attention. She argues it was an accident and her son’s condition contributed to his reaction.
She also wrote in the post, her “fight/advocacy does not stop when Matthew gets home” and she “will fight for his freedom from the criminal justice system in its entirety.”
Per the Governor’s pardon, Rushin must follow strict guidelines, or he risks serving the rest of his commuted sentence. He cannot drive, own a firearm or contact the victims or their family.
That gives George Cusick’s wife, Danna, some relief. They were both injured in that crash on January 4, 2019. He suffered a severe brain injury and may never recover. The Cusicks were visiting family members from New York when the crash happened.
In a statement, Cusick said “while it is true Matthew Rushin has completed his much-abbreviated prison sentence […] it is also true that the sentence that he imposed on George, me and our entire family and our friends will never end.”
Northam reduced the sentence to 10 years for each conviction with 7 years and 5 months suspended on each, to run concurrently, with credit for any time spent in confinement while awaiting trial and any earned sentencing credits.
Cusick said she is relieved Rushin will be under certain restrictions upon release.
As previously reported, The Governor put several requirements in place:
- The Virginia Parole Board must approve his “home plan,” and a parole officer will supervise him for five years.
- He must participate in supervised mental health treatment, counseling, and a substance abuse evaluation.
- He may not drive for the rest of his life. (He may petition a judge to change this after 10 years.)
- He may not own a firearm or have contact with the victims.
- If he violates these terms in the next 10 years, Mr. Rushin shall be subject to arrest and incarceration to complete the remainder of his commuted sentence of ten years.
We reached out to Commonwealth’s Attorney Colin Stolle office and it provided the following statement:
“Our hearts go out to the victims and their families in this case for the ongoing pain and legal process that they have had to endure. The Governor’s Administration notified this office on November 6, 2020, of the decision to reduce Rushin’s sentence. While it certainly is within the Governor’s authority to do so, this office believes that the sentence imposed by the court was appropriate, just and fair.”