Man Pleads Not Guilty In Alleged DUI Crash That Severed 2 Men's Legs
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A Paramount man pleaded not guilty Monday to drunken driving charges after he allegedly crashed a BMW into two men outside a Los Angeles strip club, requiring them to undergo leg amputations.
Terrence Conrad Meeks, 40, was charged March 12 with one count of driving under the influence causing injury and one count of driving with .08 percent blood alcohol causing injury. The complaint also includes a special allegation that more than one person was injured.
Following at dispute on March 10 outside Sam's Hofbrau strip club at 1751 East Olympic Blvd. around 3:30 a.m., Meeks allegedly slammed his BMW into the two men, pinning them against a parked Mini Cooper.
One victim had both legs severed below the knee, Deputy District Attorney John Gilligan said. The second victim's right leg was crushed and had to be amputated.
The incident was initially investigated as a hate crime because of reports that Meeks, who is African American, made racial comments to the two victims, who are Hispanic. Prosecutors said there was no evidence the incident was the result of a hate crime.
Meeks, who faces up to five years in state prison if convicted, is expected back in court on April 9, when a date for a preliminary hearing will be set.
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