Florida woman gets three years in prison for 2011 fatal wreck

A Miami-Dade woman avoided a potential 20 year prison sentence by accepting a plea deal. The woman was charged with driving under the influence (DUI) manslaughter and vehicular homicide for an accident that happened in October 2011. The woman, who was 19 at the time, was accused of driving drunk with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit of three times the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

The driver she pleaded guilty to killing was driving home from her job when the fatal accident happened. The fatal accident happened close to Majorca Avenue and Lejuene Road. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene. The plea deal allows the Miami-Dade woman to serve three years in prison. She will also serve 15 years of probation with community service.

The plea deal has other terms, such as the woman having to donate to the anti-DUI foundation Mothers Against Drunk Driving. She will have to lecture to young people about the dangers of driving drunk as well. Also, she will have to give money to a scholarship in the victim’s name. The victim’s family announced that it plans to press charges against the Miami Beach night club accused of serving the woman alcohol the night of the fatal accident.

It is not clear whether the victim’s family plans to file a personal injury lawsuit against the woman. A personal injury lawsuit is a civil remedy for a family that has lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence. This type of lawsuit seeks monetary damages to cover funeral expenses, pain and suffering and other bills incurred due to the incident. A personal injury lawyer may be able to help families file claims and navigate the civil court process.

Source: nbcmiami.com, “Coral Gables Woman Accepts Plea Deal in Fatal Crash“, Justin Finch, May 17, 2013