A woman facing 119 years in prison for allegedly causing a serious car crash while driving under the influence of methamphetamines agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors, reports The Daily Courier.
Thirty-one-year-old Jessica Mae Wayas was accused of driving head-on into the truck of a 70-year-old man while under the influence of meth in March 2010. Shockingly, her two children, ages 5 and 6, were also in the car with her at the time and were injured in the accident.
Wayas’ problem with meth is one of the worst the prosecution and the judge have seen, according to The Courier.
“We have a criminalist who will say (in a trial) he has never seen as high a level of methamphetamine as in this case,” Deputy County Attorney Steve Sisneros said in court.
Wayas was indicted on nine counts, including three counts of using a motor vehicle recklessly to cause physical injury, two counts of injuring a child under 15, and two counts of driving while under the influence of drugs with minors in the vehicle.
If convicted on all charges, she could have faced a 119-year prison sentence, according to The Courier. In exchange for her guilty plea to four lesser charges, she will likely receive a reduced prison sentence.
Typically, defendants enter into a plea agreement in order to avoid a jury trial. Other benefits of defense plea bargains include the possible reduction in sentencing and the promise of resolving the issue quickly. Plea bargains may not always be in the best interest of the defendant, however, and an experienced criminal defense attorney can offer the best advice when facing such an agreement.
Related Resources:
- Find a Phoenix DUI Attorney (FindLaw)
- Defense Plea Bargains (FindLaw)
- Woman Faces Prison after Pleading Guilty to DUI Hit-and-Run Charges (The Phoenix DUI Blog)
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