Matthew Rushin, a former ODU student serving time for a January 2019 crash, was released March 29 after Gov. Ralph Northam granted him a conditional pardon last year.
The pardon came after Rushin was sentenced to 10 years behind bars after 40 years were suspended for a crash his family and friends say was unintentional.
The pardon requires Rushin agreeing to a number of strict requirements, including never possessing a firearm, not operating a vehicle and never contacting the victims or their families. His conviction was not overturned.
In January 2019, Rushin was leaving a parking lot and hit a car after picking up pastries at a Panera Bread. His mother said he may have been trying to grasp what happened because of his autism. Rushin turned back, but when he turned around he lost control and hit another car, according to the police investigation.
The three-vehicle crash in the 500 block of First Colonial Road left a man with life-threatening injuries, and Rushin pleaded guilty to the charges in November 2019.
Rushin's case has gained national attention, and on April 1 he was interviewed on "Tamron Hall." You can watch the interview above.
