Judgement Day For DUI Driver Who Faced His Paralyzed Victim
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- A drunk driver faced his victim in court Thursday - a woman he hit and left paralyzed years before.
Police said Michael Anguille, 31, was drunk when he slammed into the back of Kim Smith's car in 2014 leaving her paraplegic.
In court on Thursday, Anguille addressed the victim in a Broward County Courtroom during his sentencing hearing.
"First, I want to say contrary to how the press or the police have portrayed me. I'm overcome by grief over this situation," said Anguille. "Miss Smith with all the sincerity in my heart, I apologize for what I've done to you."
Smith, a therapeutic recreational therapist, was heading home from work at Imperial Point Hospital when Broward Sheriff's Office officials said Anguille slammed into her in the 4100 block of Federal Highway in Lighthouse Point.
According to police, the crash caused her pickup truck to spin, go airborne and slam into this tree in Lighthouse Point.
"I'm definitely regretful for the pain I have caused you physically and emotionally," said Anguille.
Smith also took the stand and read an 8-page letter in which she talked about how sad her life has been going from being a physical therapist and being able to help people to being someone that was hospitalized for more than a year.
During the sentencing hearing, when a prosecutor asked Anguille what he had to drink that day, he did not want to acknowledge what caused the crash.
"I'll tell you that I was speeding. I don't know that it's alright or not alright for me to go into that sequence of how things happened or not....It's not really my job to contradict anything that has been put forth in reports," said Anguille.
As for his sentencing, he faces a minimum sentence of five years in prison. He's asking a judge for a lighter sentence.
