Smith
GOSHEN – A Bloomingburg woman faces long prison time after pleading
guilty to driving under the influence of drugs and crashing into a tree
resulting in the death of her two-year-old son.
Nicole Smith, 27, pled guilty in Orange County Court to aggravated vehicular homicide in incident. She admitted to driving recklessly on March 19, 2016 while under the influence of Methadone and Xanax. She attempted to pass another vehicle on Route 17K in Montgomery by crossing over the double yellow line. Her car struck the other vehicle, ran off the road, hit an embankment and struck a tree. As a result, her child was ejected from the car and killed.
Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler said it was a terrible situation.
“It is something that we are seeing more and more of with prescription pain medicines and other drugs that people are mixing, in this particular case she knew the risks, she was warned about it, and she did it anyway and to top it off, she drove recklessly and in doing so, she clipped another car, drove off the road, hit a tree and killed her two-year-old son,” Hoovler said.
The DA’s office will recommend five to 15 year in prison when sentenced
in October.
Smith’s plea to aggravated vehicular homicide was taken as part of Leandra’s Law. The section concerns the death of a passenger under the age of 15 when the driver is impaired by the use of alcohol or drugs.
The law became effective in December 2009 and this marks the first time there was such a plea in Orange County.
The case was investigated by Town of Montgomery Police and State Police.
“Once again an offender’s decision to drive while under the influence of powerful drugs has had tragic consequences,” said Hoovler. “I can think of no more tragic circumstances than a mother killing her own son.”
