Student Gets 3 Years In Jail For DUI Crash That Killed A Grandmother
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Ivanna Villanueva changed her plea in a hearing Friday and has agreed to plead guilty in exchange for a reduced prison sentence for her part in a deadly DUI hit and run accident that left Eyder Ayala dead.
Villanueva, a University of Miami student, faced multiple charges for the accident. Villanueva faced up to 20 years in prison had she been convicted of all of the charges she was facing.
The terms of the plea deal send Villanueva to prison for three years and she will also receive 15 years probation and community service for the deadly accident, according to CBS4 news partner the Miami Herald's David Ovalle.
The accident occurred at the intersection of LeJeune Road and Majorca Avenue. Police say Villanueva was driving at a high rate of speed when she slammed into Ayala's car. Ayala, a mother to five and grandmother to seven, died at the scene.
Toxicology tests showed Villanueva's blood alcohol content was nearly triple the legal limit of .08.
Ayala's family said they got worried when she didn't come home from work at the McDonalds at SW 42nd Avenue and 9th Street where she's worked for more than 20 years as a manager. Ayala has since been buried in Nicaragua.
Ayala's family has sued Villanueva and her father, saying he is liable for her conduct. The multi-million dollar lawsuit said the 19-year-old was "speeding, negligent and reckless."
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