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Teen who killed cyclist in DUI hit-and-run sentenced to 1 year, 10 days

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posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 07:19 PM
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This has been an ongoing local story in my area for a while now, but the sentencing finally came down. At the time, this girl was 17 and going home from a late night party where drinking and drug-use was taking place. Long story short, she was drunk behind the wheel and ran over a guy on his bike. She then backed over the guy and drove off.




An Anchorage 18-year-old will serve 1 year and 10 days in prison for the hit-and-run death of a bicyclist, under sentencing announced in court today.

Alexandra Ellis pleaded guilty to negligent homicide for the 2014 drunken-driving collision in South Anchorage that killed Jeff Holder-Dusenbury, 51. Dusenbury had been riding his bike on a residential street at the time of his death.

Hearings have drawn near-capacity crowds as prosecutors and defense lawyers debated the appropriate length of Ellis’s prison sentence. Anchorage District Attorney Clint Campion called for the teen to serve one to three years behind bars. William Ingaldson, the attorney for Ellis, pushed for the case to be transferred to the juvenile justice system altogether.

KTUU

Her father is an attorney, and I can't help but wonder if that played a role in the sweet plea deal she managed to get. I took it upon myself to look into what attorney this girl's father hired, a man named William H. Ingaldson. He's a partner at a law firm here, and from his own website about himself:



Bill moved to Alaska in 1983, and served as a State Assistant District Attorney for over five years; first supervising the Misdemeanor Section, then heading the Major Economic and Corrupt Offender Unit – trying major felony cases and starting up the office’s first specialized Arson Unit. After working in the State’s Antitrust Section, Bill entered private practice.

Link

So it would seem we have a former state attorney getting sweetheart plea deals with the prosecutor's office. We had a 24 year old airman stationed here get 18 years for killing a woman in a drunk driving accident last year:



Lane Douglas Wyatt, 24, was sentenced to nearly 18 years in prison on Friday for killing 20-year-old Citari Townes-Sweatt in a drunken-driving accident last year.

Townes-Sweatt died June 30, 2013, after Wyatt, an Airman 1st Class from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, ran a red light at an East Anchorage intersection and hit the car she was driving.

KTUU

So this girl gets her charge dropped down to "negligent homicide" after leaving a guy to die, and this Airman gets 2nd degree murder? And to top it off she gets only a year and 10 days?

If this isn't a sign that court system is corrupt and manipulated, I don't know what is. The entire system shouldn't be a rich man's game of "Let's Make a Deal".

The family of the man this young woman killed has been circulating petitions for the judge to not accept the plea deal, several thousand people have signed it. The judge could easily have rejected the plea deal between the defense attorney and the prosecutor -- but no, the judge allowed this girl to get only a year and ten days.

Justice may be blind, but she can sure smell money.
edit on 19-8-2015 by MystikMushroom because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 07:43 PM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

I guess she could have been charged as a minor and gotten no time. It doesnt seem like enough time but 17 year olds are stupid morons and deserve leniency in situations like this. IMO

I might feel different if it were someone in my family that she killed.



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 07:52 PM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

Are you honestly surprised?

I have witnessed first hand how retaining a former prosecutor turned defense attorney (in the same county) can greatly change/reduce your charge or sentence.

Hell I saw a guy do 12 months for the same crime that another did who was a repeat offender and who got off less with NO time at all.

We all know it's about money and connections. And the money to hire a good attorney.


+14 more 
posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 07:52 PM
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It angers me every time someone gets behind the wheel and drives drunk. So many lives at stake including their own. I lost my entire family to a drunk driver more than 20 years ago, it will be 22 years in December of this year. Not a day goes by that I don't think about my wife and children. My daughter was only 14 months, my son was about to be 4, and my wife was only 24.

It has taken me a very long time to come to terms with their loss. A 15 year old driver who also had an attorney as a father was the responsible. He was taken to juvenile court that night but wisked away under a doctors care to another state the following morning. A Judge signed off on it to "get him the help he needs".

Of course I was angry, sad, and ready to kill but a profound peace came between me and the whole affair. Make no mistake as I was still angry and am today that the young man never answered for his actions but I couldn't see him going to jail for the rest of his life at 15 or even for a long period. What good would have come from it ? Certainly would not have brought my wife and children back and would have destroyed another family as well as many others.

I never wanted him to go scott free either but he did and I can only take comfort that he is the one who has had to live with what he did. It was hard on his family as well. Several years after I received a phone call from his father who expressed a great deal of remorse and claimed his son did as well but due to several mental breakdowns was in no position to express the remorse himself. I politely said I understood, and that profound peace again came over me as if my Son, my Daughter, and the only woman I have ever loved wished for peace to all of us.

I am not a super religious person but admit that I did find comfort in a belief in God and that he was takin care of the kids and Michelle. I still miss them and still have good days and bad, sometimes even wish revenge but it always comes o me...what good would it do ? Every one suffered enough and I was no longer willing to wallow in self pity or revenge as it just eats you away.

I am not saying that she should not be punished, and find it distasteful that the standards do not apply to everyone as many have gone to jail for less. We have a broken system but it is still the best system out there when compared to others. It should never come down to revenge or the ultimate punishment but something should be done to her as well as for her as she will suffer just as the man's family whom she killed will suffer. I would say a year in jail at that age can do a lot as far as straighten someone out but only time will tell. I have an idea the mans family was consulted on the decision and maybe they too had a profound sense of peace come over them.

Often I will find myself outside looking at the stars and have the bizarre belief that at least one of them is my little boy, daughter, and my wife looking down, and sometimes they give me a wink as if all is well. Just hope theses families find peace and a way to deal with what has befallen them, prayers for all



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 07:53 PM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

imho... cyclists should either stay off the road, or start paying road tax.



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 07:53 PM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

We had a nearly identical situation here in Hinesburg VT, but the driver was an 18 year old boy who unfortunately died on impact. They said had he survived, he would have been charged (and likely prosecuted) with manslaughter.

but we can't assume she got a good plea deal just because her father is an attorney - sure, it's a possibility but without anything to suggest that that's the case who really knows? Perhaps they realized that the biker was somehow in the wrong in some manner or other factors are at play which influenced them to offer such a seemingly generous plea deal. just playing devil's advocate and look at it from both sides



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 07:57 PM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

At least she wasn't rich enough to use the affluenza defense.

That rich kid a while back did the same thing but killed four people. No jail time whatsoever and his wealth was literally used as a defense/justification.



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 08:02 PM
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I guess it pays to be born to a mommy or daddy lawyer...

A little slap on the wrist and away you go !


They just outright and blatantly revictimized this poor cyclist's family.




posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 08:02 PM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

It looks like her dad called in some favors. It's total BS. This level of corruption is everywhere.



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 08:13 PM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

You wash my hand and I will wash yours. These type of deals have been going on since the days of Caesar. There is some information that is being held over someones head or a promise of future cooperation.



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 08:16 PM
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a reply to: DJMSN

The fact you have not put a shotgun in your mouth shows you are a much stronger person than me. Im sorry bro..



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 08:19 PM
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a reply to: DJMSN

Prayers for you and your loved ones, DJ.

That's one of the saddest things I've heard in a long while.



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 08:43 PM
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a reply to: DJMSN

OMG, that has to be any person's worst nightmare to lose their entire family! It's difficult enough to lose a child! My heart felt condolences to you. I can't imagine what you have gone through.

I think anyone who would face such a tragedy would think nothing but revenge against that person. Spiritually, I feel your wife and children gave you comfort and strength. I strongly feel when a sense of peace overcomes you, it's someone who has past over who is trying to give you comfort and strength to carry on with your life.

It's difficult to understand why things like this in life happen. Keep the faith, stay strong and carry on with your life. We all will reunite with our lost loved ones someday. I wish you peace my friend.



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 10:27 PM
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a reply to: combatmaster

Now why would bicyclists pay road taxes? Road taxes are based on the wear and tear the vehicle in question is doing to the roads. The wear and tear done to a road by a bicycle is microscopic. There is nothing to charge. And is actually beneficial to the environment and society in general. Healthier people and less gas used. Perhaps it's cars that should be coming off the road.


And something I always wondered. Why isn't there drinking licenses? You should be able to prove that you are legally able to drink before getting alcohol. No license no alcohol. And thousand dollar fines for providing alcohol to illegals. Along with losing their alcohol license to purchase.

They should be making it harder to get and consume liquor. And the girl in the article? She should have her license to consume alcohol suspended for life.
edit on 19-8-2015 by ntech because: (no reason given)



posted on Aug, 19 2015 @ 10:52 PM
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a reply to: ntech



Healthier people and less gas used


Less gas, sure. Healthier, no.... more like dead people, as can be seen by this thread topic.



Perhaps it's cars that should be coming off the road.

And replaced by what? Bicycles? That would be feasible if we still lived in villages and didnt need to travel miles to work everyday....




You should be able to prove that you are legally able to drink before getting alcohol. No license no alcohol.

Errm... what would be deemed as 'legally able'? Or are you referring to the fact that one needs to provide ID?
either way i dont drink alcohol or ride a bicycle so i couldnt care less!



posted on Aug, 20 2015 @ 12:03 AM
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a reply to: Cuervo

I never heard of that til today. Quick search says it goes something like this: "Cut me some slack, it's traumatic being this rich".

I say, attempting to use this defence shows a certain detachment and lack of emotion for their crimes and should be justification for harsher penalties or committal.



posted on Aug, 20 2015 @ 12:12 AM
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I wonder how much being a young girl plays into it all...



posted on Aug, 20 2015 @ 12:32 AM
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a reply to: DJMSN

That was incredibly humbling and moving. I hope that peace stays with you always.



posted on Aug, 20 2015 @ 01:07 AM
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a reply to: Xtrozero

i would say quite a bit, i have plenty of anecdotal evidence to support this claim but more importantly i remember seeing a study that showed women, especially women age 25 years or younger received something like 1/2 the time of men of the same age for the same crime received.

not knowing much of this case i have to give the speculation that this girl is at 100% fault. yes this girl is "young" but she's made a huge mistake and with great mistakes come great consequences i would say she serves no less than 5 years in prison, probation for 3 years. driving privileges suspend for 10 years, attend mandatory DUI classes, and be required to recant her story every year on the anniversary of the accident for 10 years, here story should be told to people on the dangers of drinking and driving.

18 years is old enough to know right from wrong, dangerous to safe



posted on Aug, 20 2015 @ 03:33 AM
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a reply to: MystikMushroom

As I understand it (and as ADN has failed to report clearly... big shock with that fish wrap) is that the state's indictment charges depend on factors such as the blood alcohol level, the conditions at the time of the accident, speed, and other circumstances.

Ellis had a BAC of 0.10 (.02 over the legal limit for an adult... but 0.1 was legal in most states until the late 90s when 0.08 became the norm.) Ellis was also not speeding, and was on a darkened local road.

Wyatt's BAC was 0.20. His wreck injured 7 people, killing one, so they had an additional 4 counts of 1st degree assault and 3 of 3rd degree assault. His wreck happened on Bonniface, which as you know is a lot better lit and a LOT busier highway than 84th is.

Not saying any of this is right and you know my harsh thoughts on people who drive under the influence. I feel Ellis deserved a lot more years, but I also feel Wyatt deserved a lot more years. It really is the ultimate act of selfishness to jump behind the wheel in any state of inebriation. That is especially true in Wyatt's case when JBER offers the free DUI 24/7 shuttle service from anywhere in the Muni for airmen who have had too much to drink. I honestly believe the court felt this sentence for Ellis was fair.




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