North Carolina woman sentenced to 20 to 24 months in DUI crash
An Arden, North Carolina woman faced a judge in Buncombe County Superior Court for sentencing in a DWI case earlier this month. The 26-year-old woman pled guilty to several charges that followed a fatal car accident that reportedly occurred last October. The woman faced over nine years in North Carolina state prison for her conviction of charges of felony death by motor vehicle, driving while impaired and reckless driving to endanger. The exposure to more than 9-years in prison is authorized under the North Carolina sentencing guidelines.
At the conclusion of the sentencing hearing the judge sentenced the woman to a prison term of 20 to 24 months. The judge also recommended that the 26-year-old be allowed to participate in a work-release program during her incarceration. The young woman reportedly works in a customer service position.
The convictions relate to allegations arising after an Oct. 2 car accident in the Asheville area. Prosecutors say the Arden woman was traveling the wrong way down the road when she crashed head-on into a car driven by a 29-year-old Asheville woman. The Asheville woman reportedly died on impact.
Prosecutors had claimed that an accident reconstruction team determined the Arden woman was driving 62 mph before the accident. The reconstruction team believes the Asheville woman saw the car coming and slowed down to 32 mph before the accident.
The Arden woman reportedly had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.26 percent that morning. The accident occurred around 2:30 A.M.
North Carolina law provides for harsh consequences for convictions of any allegation of DWI. Car accidents involving allegations of drunk driving can increase the potential penalties for a drunk driving conviction. Greenville and Pitt County residents who are accused of DWI offenses can speak to an experienced DWI defense attorney for an assessment of their case and to help in protect their rights in court.
Source: Asheville Citizen-Times, “Asheville area woman receives prison term on vehicle death charge,” Clarke Morrison, Sept. 2, 2011