Aurora Drunk Driver Receives 15 Years in Prison

August 31, 2010 - An Aurora woman who was convicted of drunk driving and reckless homicide was sentenced on Friday to 15 years in prison. According to a report at the Chicago Sun-Times, the 26-year-old woman sobbed throughout the sentencing hearing while the victims' families read statements to the court.

The charges stem from a 2007 car accident in Oswego that killed 5 teenagers. The 26-year-old woman had been drinking the night of Feb. 11, 2007 when she offered to give 8 teens a ride home from a party. Police say she was driving more than 20 miles over the speed limit when she crashed her car into a tree. Her blood alcohol content was later determined to be .105, which is above the legal limit of .08. The crash killed 3 girls, ages 14 to 16, and 2 boys, ages 14 and 17.

During the sentencing phase, the drunk driver addressed the victims' families, saying she was sorry for what happened. The court also heard a statement from the woman's 8-year-old son. Her lawyer plans to appeal the 15-year sentence, which will likely result in at least 12 years behind bars before she is eligible for parole. The charges carried a maximum sentence of 28 years in prison.