Villanova socialite headed to big house

When Suzanne Lammers was told she’d be spending the next three months of her life behind bars, she started to cry. She was led out of the Norristown courtroom in handcuffs.

Though her attorney argued for house arrest, the 77-year-old Main Line woman who pleaded guilty to the July 2009 hit-and-run that nearly killed a 13-year-old in Lower Merion was sentenced to three months in jail, one year probation and 200 hours of community service.

“She’s been running and hiding every since, and now she’s trying to evade punishment,” Judge William R. Carpenter said of the socialite who hid the car in her Villanova garage and told police she thought she hit a deer. Quoting Bob Dylan, he added, “Even the nobles get properly handled once the cops have chased after and caught ’em.”

Her victim Andrew Mallee was in court. So was Lammers’ daughter, son-in-law, friends and pastor. Linda Todorow testified that her son has lingering issues with balance and hearing.

“It just can’t be about him and his suffering. It always turns back to this case,” said Todorow, noting that her son has a permanent black line on his face, “literally, a tattoo from the asphalt.”

A civil suit against Lammers is pending.