A woman being tried for driving under the influence of the sleeping medication Ambien had a couple of supporters in court that spoke about having similar symptoms of driving erratically and being forgetful, nevertheless, she pleaded guilty to DUI causing injuries, as reported by Go Upstate from Spartanburg, South Carolina.
B.C., 54, claimed that she took the drug, normally prescribed for insomnia, and had no recollection of crossing over a median and driving head-on into another vehicle.
The other vehicle was driven by A.M.; she sustained a shattered kneecap and a compound fracture to her femur. According to A.M.'s attorney, Barry Barnette, his client continues to suffer from her injuries.
Circuit Court Judge Keith Kelly sentenced B.C. to seven years behind bars and a fine of $10,000. After B.C. serves three years of home detention the $10,000 fine will be suspended and she will only need to pay $5,100. Following her detention she will be placed on a three-year probation.
The collision occurred at approximately 10 p.m. on January 18, 2013. Barnette said that witnesses saw B.C. drive "very erratically" at the intersection of Highway 290 and Berry Shoals Road before the crash.
Barnette further stated that there was a large amount of Ambien found in a blood sample taken from B.C. Along with the Ambien there were also amounts of Xanax and Cymbalta found in B.C.'s blood stream.
Josh Schultz, the attorney representing B.C., stated that his client has since developed serious medical issues related to the accident and is currently undergoing therapy for stress. Schultz commented that B.C. is both "meek" and "mild" and "wouldn't hurt a fly."
Schultz further argued that the issue was with the Ambien. The medication had caused B.C. to forget things that night; such as taking out her car keys to driving the car. Her husband of 30 years had no idea she had left their home until he was called from the Greenville Memorial Hospital and told that she had sustained a broken arm, wrist and ribs in a car accident.
There were nearly 20 supporters of B.C.'s in the courtroom. Of those, two addressed the court to report that they had experienced similar issues with Ambien. One had hit a mailbox without recollecting it and the other was ordered by her grown child to stop driving. Both said that what had happened to B.C. could have easily happened to them.
B.C. spoke in court about what she had done to A.M., "She is my main concern…for the rest of her life, she's going to be afraid. My focus is her. It always has been."
A.M. also addressed the court stating that this was the first time B.C. had shown her any remorse, however, she has forgiven her for her actions.
B.C. no longer takes Ambien after being on the medication for eight years.
Barnette commented that he's noticed more DUIs in regards to illegal drugs as well as prescription medications.
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