DUI Defendant Lands Six-Year Sentence

Woman Convicted In San Bernardino, Sent To Prison After Fatal Crash

A Redlands woman was sentenced by the San Bernardino County Superior Court in October, after being convicted in a drunk-driving collision that took a life several years prior. The victim was parked at the side of the highway when the defendant lost control of her vehicle and swerved off the road, causing a high-speed collision.

According to court documents, the defendant was a 25-year old woman from Redford who worked in the administrative office at a college in Orange County. On October 24^th, 2009, she had been drinking at a bar, the prosecution alleged, before getting behind the wheel of her vehicle and attempting to drive home on Interstate 215.

At the same time, a student at UC Riverside was stopped by the side of the 215 in Grand Terrace, after her car had run out of gas. The 20-year old and her passenger, aged 22, had procured more gasoline and re-fueled the car, and were preparing to get back on the road. Just after getting back in the car, prosecutors told the courtroom, the victim was struck by the suspect, who swerved out of control and drove across all the northbound lanes to collide with the parked automobile.

Breathalyzer Results Used To Convict Defendant

When medical personnel arrived at the scene, they found the 20-year old victim was critically injured. Her leg had been severed in the collision, and she had sustained extensive internal injuries as well. Her passenger was also wounded, with multiple cuts and bruises as well as an injury to her ribs. The victim was declared dead not long afterwards. Despite intending to be a donor, the 20-year old student's internal organs were so badly damaged that they could not be used for transplants.

The defendant was brought to court on charges of intoxicated vehicular manslaughter and DUI. Two breath-test administered at the scene of the accident had returned results above the legal limit, according to court documents, with the suspect's blood alcohol content showing as .13 percent. After her conviction, she was sentenced to serve a six-year prison sentence. Given the time already served, as well as credit for good behavior, a deputy attorney for the DA's office guessed, the defendant might be able to walk free in 2 ½ years.

A Defense Lawyer You Can Trust

If you have been arrested on suspicion of driving while under the influence of alcohol, it is of utmost importance that you seek the aid of a skilled professional advocate immediately. At the law offices of Gold & Witham we are dedicated to providing each and every client with high quality, aggressive defense. The sooner you acquire the services of an attorney with our firm, the sooner we can act to challenge the prosecution and protect your rights. We urge you to visit our website to learn more about the options available at your disposal.