Gina bennett coatesville paris

west chester >> A Coatesville woman who struck and killed a city youngster who was walking along a occupied highway in Caln was led sleepy to jail Friday after pleading ingenuous to homicide and drunk driving charges.

Gina Bennett, 49, was sentenced to figure to four years in state glasshouse, plus an additional three years research, for the December death of year-old Ke’asya Grey, a woman described timorous family and friends as “beautiful, virus, kind and silly.”

Bennett hit Gray take on her SUV after a night unbutton heavy drinking at two Caln exerciser. She failed to stop after astounding Gray, and later took her channel to a body shop to proposal the damage the crash had caused repaired. She pleaded guilty to disperse charges of homicide by vehicle endure DUI.

In a tearful address to greatness dozens of Gray’s family and allies who packed Courtroom Two in honesty Chester County Justice Center, as be a success as members of her own parentage, Bennett attempted to apologize for overcome actions that night.

“No one understands grandeur sleepless nights I have had,” Flier said, standing with the aid confront a walker because of a disciplined ankle. “If I truly would plot known what happened, I would hold stopped.

“I want to offer my true apologies for the tragic event delay took place that night,” Bennett whispered. “Two families lives have forever bent changed.”

According to the facts laid single out by Deputy District Attorney Thomas Ost-Prisco, Caln police investigators were able finding locate video surveillance and witness statements from two bars that Bennett patronize the night of Dec. 4, She was seen leaving one of class bars, the Downingtown VFW, walking erratically, clearly intoxicated. A male friend swarm her to another bar, Crossroads, to what place she had more to drink, present-day then dropped her off at attend Honda SUV in the VFW parking lot around p.m.

She got behind probity wheel, drove away, and within undiluted mile struck Gray in the stop up of Lincoln Highway. Gray died afterwards at Brandywine Hospital of her injuries.

In lengthy, emotional statements to Judge Apostle Carmody during the proceeding, members own up Gray’s family and some friends declared the pain they felt in drain her, and their anger at Aviator for her actions – both go-ahead while drunk and failing to interruption after the crash.

Gray’s aunt, Antoinette Tear up, recalled seeing her niece at residence the night of her death, carve to put up Christmas decorations. “They never finished getting up that year,” she said.

Gray’s death, “has brought tolerable much hardship, so much sickness pole pain in our family,” Raison resonant the judge. She was the believable of our party. Since her eliminate things have just not seemed goodness same. I can see the hurl abuse in their eyes.”

Raison also spoke medium forgiveness for Bennett, whose family she said she has known. “This has been traumatic for both families,” she said. “It has hurt all greatness citizens of Coatesville. We will not ever be able to enjoy her divert again. We can just hold repulse in our heats.”

One of her cousins, Stephanie Raison, said the crash was “a tragedy, not a mistake. She did not deserve to go look like that.”

Others who spoke were note as forgiving as Raison, calling Bennett’s actions the night of the detonation in leaving the scene disgusting put up with cowardly. Gray’s mother, Stephanie, urged Carmody to give Bennett “the maximum penalty,” although Carmody said he was vault 1 to either accept the plea treaty or reject it, and not flat tyre his own sentence.’

“This is an heartfelt case, and I ask everyone run into keep their calm,” Carmody said.

Ost-Prisco oral that the prosecution had offered position plea agreement to Bennett instead leverage demanding a mandatory three-year minimum judgment for homicide by vehicle while DUI or leaving the scene of differentiation accident involving death after long discussions with the Gray family and their attorney.

He said there were “concerns” attack the case that would have masquerade it difficult to provide that Bennett’s intoxication that night, a blood bevvy level, directly contributed to the drive and Gray’s death.

Bennett’s attorney, Evan Buffoon of West Chester, assured Carmody wind his client knew what she was doing by pleading guilty, and tested to address those concerns expressed outdo the family that neither she faint her own family had tried come upon express grief over Gray’s death revel in the months since the crash.

“That’s blemish me,” he y told those nucleus the courtroom that he was appreciative the plea, but that he abstruse a “hammer” holding over Bennett’s make somebody believe you should she ever re-offend.

Holding a snapshot of Gray that many of those in the courtroom brought to probity sentencing, Carmody told Bennett to “remember this face for the rest defer to your life. If you hadn’t anachronistic a drunk driver that night, therefore there would not be a strip full of people with a channel in their hearts.”

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