Injuries, Sentencing, Result From DUI Crash

The motorist found responsible for a crash that left two people with severe injuries, is headed to prison for drunk driving and failure to stop for a serious personal injury accident, as reported by the South Bend Tribune.

The crash occurred on October 6 just north of Niles on Old U.S. 31 and Fairland Road.

Thomas Gauthier, of Buchanan, was beginning to turn his motorcycle left onto Fairland when Cheryl Fisher, of Niles, tried to pass him from behind.  Fisher, driving a Chevrolet Equinox, struck Gauthier's motorcycle, as they both were headed southbound onto Niles. 

Fisher fled the scene leaving, Gauthier, 59, to loose his left leg and his passenger, Deanna Adams, 45, with back, head and leg injuries.

Berrien County Trial Judge Scott Schofield sentenced Fisher, 48, to 18 months in prison with 64 days credited for time already served.  Fisher has also been ordered to pay $332.  Civil court proceedings are expected to follow, where the costs of restitution for Gauthier and Adams' injuries will be settled.

Due to the inevitability of a civil suit, Fisher had pleaded no contest to two counts of drunken driving causing serious injury and two counts of failing to stop at a personal injury accident.  All counts carry a penalty maximum of five years.

Gauthier and Adams spoke in court about the quality of their lives since the accident.

Gauthier, standing on his one leg during part of his statement, said that he has lost his career as a licensed builder and, in his personal life, his love of playing volleyball.  Gauthier said, "I'm a successful licensed builder.  I had gone one and a half years with no work until four months before the accident. Now I've lost the last two months of work."

He continued by stating, "I've played volleyball for 25 years, I'm the oldest member of the league, I'm wearing my volleyball outfit today. ... My volleyball days are over, thanks to your selfish ways. I feel that part of me is dead, on Oct. 6, I was left for dead."

Adams, suffering now with short-term memory loss, also has the threat of loosing her job - and home - as she is a single mother and has many more months before she fully recovers from her injuries.  She told Fisher, "Your acts were careless and thoughtless.  You left two people dying in the road, altering their lives forever. It's not the first time you drank and drove, it should be your last. I hope you get the maximum sentence so you won't be able to do this to somebody else."

Steve Pierangeli, the Assistant Prosecutor, believes that while the two victims will suffer for the rest of their lives, Fisher, albeit remorseful, will be able to return to her life when her sentence is over.

Fisher told her victims, "I want to say I am sorry for what I've done.  I was selfish and what I did was wrong.  I know I can't give back what I've taken, I deserve what I get.  I won't forget this for the rest of my life. I know you may not forgive me, but I am extremely sorry."

Schofield said in response, "Their physical injuries are very painful and disabling and the process to recover has been difficult and will continue to be difficult.  But if you listened to them today what disturbs them most is the mental and psychological aspect."

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