Dunce’s Corner: Sheila Bethea smoked crack, shot heroin and drank alcohol THEN drove 70mph and crashed, killing 2 children

                          Sheila Bethea

Sheila Bethea pled guilty to manslaughter charges stemming from an incident in 2009 where she decided it was ok to smoke crack, shoot heroin and also have some alcohol and then get behind the wheel of a vehicle, with several children in it, and drive around. Well, naturally she obeyed all traffic laws, whoops, no she didn’t…she was driving 70 mph into oncoming traffic during rush hour no less. The children in her vehicle were not wearing seat belts. Some were not even in seats, but sitting on the floor. It is a miracle that they all did not perish in this heinous crash. Unfortunately, she did not get the time in prison she deserves. She got 2 1/3 years to 7 years in prison. I am hoping that the NY Parole Board does not see fit to allow her early release. Maybe if the public writes to them in opposition of early release for her, then she will have to serve the entire 7 years. You can count on me to send them a letter. I don’t want to see her being rewarded for good behavior in prison when she killed 2 innocent young lives.

Victims
Katherine Willis, 15
Melissa Elhmer-Mirra, 5

Shelia Bethea with crack pipe leaving 2 foster children dead, 3 hospitalized
Pipe in death-driver’s purse, 2nd tot dies
Driver Used Drugs on Day Girls Died, Officials Say
Queens woman in fatal van crash had bust for DWI, sources say
Dead foster teen’s mother to sue city, claims agencies placed daughter with negligent caregiver
Ma pain in auto slaying
Mother of 5-year-old girl killed in minivan crash confronts drugged-up driver during sentencing
Save kids from drunks: Albany must pass Leandra’s Law before more children die on the

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Dunces Corner: James Steven Corley got a 99 year prison term for his 16th DWI

Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Warren Diepramm said. “Practically every time he’s getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, according to the testimony, he’s driving drunk. He testified that whenever he does it, he doesn’t think about anybody who is on the street with him. It’s all about him. All about getting drunk.”

Conroe Man Gets 99 Years for 16th DWI

Man Gets 99 Years In Prison For 16th DWI

Man gets 99 years in prison for 16th DWI

Update: Andrew Phillip Ben sentenced to 1-15 years in prison for the automobile homicide of Joseph Paul Kirk

Andrew Phillip Ben prison mugshot

My original post on this
Man sent to prison for auto homicide (1/2 way down the page)

Dunce’s Corner: Juan Collantes, who killed a 98 year old man while driving drunk

                     Juan Collantes

Drunk Driver Kills 98-year-old
Man, 98, killed in suspected drunken driving crash

Dunce’s Corner: Richard Bolling, Chicago police officer, charged with DUI hit and run*

This is the kind of DUI case that angers me the most. First, Richard Bolling is a POLICE OFFICER. That in itself shows extreme disrespect for the law. He was a sworn member of law enforcement, and he went and drank, and then got into his truck and drove. He KNEW it was wrong and illegal. He cannot say otherwise. Then he was speeding when he hit and killed Trenton Booker, who was on his bike. And like the good law enforcement officer and citizen that he is, he just left the scene of the accident. Kept on speeding down the road. And then it was 4 hours later before he got a breathalyzer test, which showed him just barely below the legal limit. Obviously he was over the limit when he hit and killed Trenton Booker. Plus, he had an open beer bottle in the truck with him! To top it off, the relatives of Trenton Booker were told that his first court appearance would be at noon, but low and behold, it was held an hour earlier and they were not notified. Hmmm, that sounds like preferential treatment to me, as well as to Trenton’s loved ones. Trenton’s family should know exactly what is going on thru all steps of this. After all, it was THEIR loved one that was KILLED by this drunk police officer. I bet Richard Bolling’s family and friends were told the correct time of his hearing and were able to attend on time. That is not the beginning of justice. He has been charged with reckless homicide, aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident involving death or injury.

Now please understand, I do not hold the rest of law enforcement responsible for Richard Bolling’s behavior. Not at all. I believe most police officers are honorable people, but in this case, I wonder about a few. The ones who waited 4 hours after Bolling’s arrest to give him a breathalyzer (I bet if the roles were reversed, the breathalyzer test would have been given on scene immediately) and the court time incident is fishy to me as well. One good thing is that the Judge set bail at $2 million dollars. At least he is taking this seriously. I hope that the road to justice, which is often rocky at best, starts to be a better journey. The court and law enforcement, Richard Bolling, etc. need to think of the victim, Trenton Booker, now.

Cop’s Bond $2M In Boy’s Hit-And-Run Death
Bail set for cop charged with killing boy on bike
Chicago cop in fatal hit-and-run case: Bail set at $2 million
About 4 hours before cop in crash got Breathalyzer
Hours Lapsed Before Cop In Crash Got Breathalyzer

Dunce’s Corner: Frederick Russell had a blood-alcohol level of 0.12 and killed 3 people; sentenced to 14 years in prison

                                                      Frederick Russell in court

Victims:
Stacy Morrow, 21
Brandon Clements, 22
Ryan Sorenson, 21

This is the kind of story that really angers me for several reasons. 3 young people (named above) lost their lives due to another young person who decided that it was okay to drive while intoxicated. And drunk he was! 2 hours after the accident, Frederick Russell had a blood alcohol level of 0.12! Can you imagine what it was at the time of the accident? The pictures from this 4 car collision was horrible to look at. 3 people died violently at the hands of this man who chose to drive while drunk. But during the sentencing, after their families talked about their loss, his family talked about what a good person he was and how unfair this was. Are you kidding me? He was such a good person that he drove while intoxicated and killed 3 people. That is indeed a good, intelligent person, huh? What kind of parents condone this kind of behavior? His apparently did, because they never once spoke about the victims, just their precious son who is STILL ALIVE. Were the other parents that lucky that day? No, they were not. OH, yeah, he also ran from justice and went to Ireland, where he had a girlfriend who begged the court to let him come back to Ireland so they could start a family. Now that took some nerve honestly. He needs to take responsibility for his actions, the actions that affected so many families and people that loved the victims. Personally, I do not believe that 14 years was a long enough sentence.

Russell sentenced to 14 years
Russell sentenced to 14 years in prison for accident that killed three WSU students
AMW: Frederick Russell
Frederick Russell finally heading to trial

Dunce’s Corner: Don Cornelius (former host of ‘Soul Train’) arrested for domestic violence

                                                     Don Cornelius

Ex-’Soul Train’ Host Don Cornelius Accused of Domestic Violence
‘Soul Train’ creator Don Cornelius arrested
Don Cornelius of ‘Soul Train’ arrested in LA

Dunce’s Corner: Jesus Razo *Former gang member decided to drive while high and drunk and killed a child*

  Veronica Armenta

Man gets 18-year term in traffic death of girl
Police arrest fugitive found guilty in absentia
Memorial Site
A MySpace for Veronica
Another Memorial page
Inmate Information
Mugshot of Jesus Reza

Dunce’s Corner: Eugene Reynolds drove drunk and killed his wife

Husband charged with manslaughter in wife’s death
Husband charged with manslaughter in wife’s death
Fatal Collision Leads To Husband’s Arrest

Dunce’s Corner: Darlane Toussaint convicted of child abuse in hair dryer beating of 1 year old*

Florida Man Found Guilty of Child Abuse in Vicious Hair Dryer Beating, Burning of Baby
Orange County man found guilty of burning toddler