Shana Elliott, 22, struggled to stand and walk after being involved in a car crash that claimed the life of a Texas father and his unborn child. Elliott repeatedly walked the line while telling the cop: “Kill me now, please…I just want them to be OK,” said Elliott.
Newlywed Fabian Guerrero Moreno, 23, was driving with his five-months pregnant wife, Kristian Nicole. Moreno and the the unborn child died in the crash.
The jury sentenced Shana Elliott to 10 yearsprobation for one count of intoxication assault, 7 years in prison for one count of intoxication manslaughter, and another 7 years in prison for a second count of intoxication manslaughter. The judge will decide whether the two prison sentences will be served concurrently or consecutively.
During the trial, Elliott said she got out of her car at the scene of the crash and ran to the other car. “I just remember fighting, I wanted to go to make sure they were OK,” she said. She tried to help. She wished it was she who had died, not them. “I’m sorry. I accept responsibility and I know what I did was wrong.” Elliott pleaded guilty.
After the sentencing, Kristian Guerrero, 26, gave a victim impact statement with harsh words. “when you were completely sober on the phone with your boyfriend just months after you murdered my family discussing our fictitious involvement in the cartel. You have shown you are incapable of remorse.”
“You murdered my family,” said Guerrero. Guerrero was very calm throughout the intense speech, deliberately making eye contact with Elliot who began to sob. “I don’t care about your troubled childhood. I had one, too. It’s no coincidence you haven’t seen my mother and my biological father in this courtroom since this trial has started. I grew up messed up, too. I didn’t have anyone coming to my rescue to bail me out of anything. I had to grow up fast. My husband, his family came over here with nothing. They worked day in and day out for their family,” Guerrero said, adding, “Did you see us out there doing anything illegal? Did you see us out there selling drugs? Did you see us out there murdering people? No. And that’s the difference between you and me.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry your family didn’t take the time to correct you. I’m sorry the justice system failed you and never taught you a proper lesson. I’m sorry we even know you exist, because I wish I never did,” Guerrero said. “I’m sure you and I have both wished it was you that day instead of him, you’re a murderer and a thief. You stole my life. And you handed me a life sentence that day,” she said. “The least you can do is to sit in jail – not just so you can learn from what you’ve done – but so no other family has to know you like I know you,” she added.
She closed her harangue with “You’re sorry because you got caught”.
For many comments, check out here
On Friday a jury sentenced Elliot to 14 years behind bars, seven years for each of her two counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle as well as 10 years probation for intoxication assaults in the case.
A later court date will determine if her sentences will take place consecutively.
On Monday she pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated in the August 2, 2016 crash.
And the sentencing Guerrero addressed Elliot in court saying, “I spent the past year and seven months thinking about what I would say to you.”
Elliot can be heard choking with tears to which Guerrero issued an unsympathetic rebuke of ‘Don’t cry. Don’t cry.’
“I don’t know what’s worse. What you said when you were drunk, accusing of my husband and I of drinking that day at the river. Or when you were completely sober on the phone with your boyfriend just months after you murdered my family discussing our fictitious involvement in the cartel. You have shown you are incapable of remorse and you don’t know what it’s like to take full responsibility for your actions. Instead you point the finger… You’re a coward,” she said.
Guerrero gave a seven and a half minute speech reminding Elliot of the times she blamed Guerrero and her family for accident, claiming that they were drunk, members of a cartel, and that they caused the accident. She even went as far as claiming to have seen Guerrero take shots that day at the river, despite being five-months pregnant.
The jury started deliberating Thursday afternoon after an emotional three days of witness testimony. Elliott took the stand Thursday morning and said, “I’m guilty.” She admitted to being intoxicated and should not have been driving the evening of Aug. 2, 2016 after a day of tubing on the San Marcos River.
During her testimony, prosecutors showed the jury the liquor bottle found in Elliott’s car and a large bag of marijuana that was found at her home. Elliott admitted to being addicted to heroin at one time, she said she smoked marijuana, but never did meth. She says after a previous arrest for drugs she had plans to sober up — she was on probation for those drug possession charges when the crash happened.
Elliot claimed she had a rough childhood and was emotionally abused by her step-father. Her attorney urged jurors to take her difficult upbringing into account in their decision.
On Friday, Guerrero told Elliot her upbringing was no excuse for what she did.
“I don’t care about your troubled childhood. I had one, too. It’s no coincidence you haven’t seen my mother and my biological father in this courtroom since this trial has started. I grew up messed up, too. I didn’t have anyone coming to my rescue to bail me out of anything. I had to grow up fast. My husband, his family came over here with nothing. They worked day in and day out for their family,” Guerrero said, adding, “Did you see us out there doing anything illegal? Did you see us out there selling drugs? Did you see us out there murdering people? No. And that’s the difference between you and me.”
Guerrero went on to say that she didn’t believe Elliot’s remorse was sincere. Guerrero claimed Elliot tried to tell police she had seen the Guerreros at the river drinking before the crash and that they had caused the accident.
“You said you pray for forgiveness?” Guerrero asked on the stand. “Is that before or after you accused us of drinking at the same place you were? While my husband was in the room dying, you were outside accusing us of being drunk. “How do you live with yourself?”
During closing arguments, Elliott’s attorney asked the jury to give her probation since she has already spent more than a year in jail. The jury could’ve given Elliot probation or up to 20 years behind bars for each of the two intoxication manslaughter charges.
Bikini-clad drunk driver sentenced to prison in fatal crash that killed man, unborn baby: https://t.co/D2Iqi8HYUX via @YouTube
— HYGO News (@HygoNews) March 12, 2018