I HAVE NEVER READ IT TILL NOW.IT BREAKS MY HEART TO THINK ,HOW CAN A DRUNK DRIVER SAY I AM SORRY AND YET THINK IT MAKES THE PAIN LESS,I DONT HATE HER,BUT I DO HATE WHAT SHE DID TO CHRIS,AND TO US.Grimditch gets 45 years
Drunk driver apologizes for taking man's life
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Louis Cooper
lcooper@pnj.com
--> -->--> ARTICLE BODY TEXT --> --> --> --> ARTICLE PARAGRAPH ITEMS --> Beverly Grimditch on Monday apologized to the family of the 22-year-old man she killed while driving drunk.
Circuit Judge Ron Swanson then sentenced her to a total of 45 years in state prison -- 30 years for fleeing police and 15 for DUI manslaughter, to be served at the same time. That time will be served after a previous 15-year sentence is completed.
"I know just to say how sorry I am doesn't mean a lot. I still want you to know how very sorry I am," she said after pleading no contest to five charges including DUI manslaughter and fleeing police in Santa Rosa Circuit Court.
"I've taken a very young man's life, and I've caused a great deal of pain to his family and friends, and my family and friends. ... Forgive me, I hope. That will take time, if ever."
Her voice shaking, Grimditch, 51, of Navarre was making her first public comments since the bizarre accident that claimed the life of William Christopher Villar, known as Chris, on June 15.
Grimditch was speeding away from police on Alabama Street in Milton when her silver Infiniti struck a curb, went airborne and crashed through the roof of the Villar home. Chris Villar, who was lying in bed watching a basketball game on television, was crushed to death.
Swanson called Villar's death "the greatest of all tragedies."
"The life of a young man has been taken. The joys he brought to others and the positive things he was to do for his family and community have been destroyed," he said.
"The acts that caused this loss were the results of choices made by the defendant, bad choices, destructive choices, tragic choices," Swanson said. "Choices made by the defendant had already resulted in the defendant being placed in probation. That aggravates the circumstance and cannot be ignored by the court. ... A significant sentence of incarceration is warranted."
He then sentenced Grimditch to a maximum 30 years for fleeing police and a maximum 15 years for DUI manslaughter.
But Grimditch's time in prison will be even longer because she had driven drunk and fled from police before. In 2005, she received a probationary sentence for DUI and fleeing police in Walton County. She participated in a 28-day substance abuse treatment program at the Friary in Gulf Breeze after that incident.
Circuit Judge Kevin Wells revoked her probation and imposed a 15-year state prison term after she killed Villar.
Grimditch said in court that her actions in the latest incident were not deliberate.
She said a friend gave her the prescription painkillers Fioricet and Darvon for a headache the night of the accident and she did not remember driving.
"The last memory I had was going to bed, not driving," she said. "I woke up in the emergency room and I was told what had happened. I woke up into everyone's nightmare."
Her blood alcohol level was determined to be 0.166 at the time of the accident -- twice the legal limit. The prescription drugs also were detected in her blood.
Grimditch's account in court conflicted with her initial account to investigators.
Grimditch, who is married, told them that she had been arguing with her boyfriend and left his house to commit suicide on the highway.
Her husband was in court Monday but did not speak, and no mention was made of a boyfriend.
Four of Villar's family members and one friend testified.
"You have taken a best friend and a brother from my life," said Matt Villar, Chris Villar's 16-year-old brother, addressing Grimditch directly. "Now, all that kindness and joy has been taken out of our lives because of your desire to drink that night."
Carla Villar, Chris' mother, testified to the strong bond Chris had with his family.
"He would always call home from work during the day to say 'Hi,' " the mother said. "Never would he end a conversation without saying, 'I love you, Mom.' "
Grimditch's attorney, Tim Weaver, presented evidence to explain her behavior.
Psychologist James Larson testified that Grimditch was abused as a child, leading to a lifetime of mental problems, several hospitalizations for psychiatric care and numerous suicide attempts. He said she currently suffers from manic depression, post traumatic stress disorder and attention deficient hyperactivity disorder.
Grimditch's daughter, Mandy Soloman, urged Swanson to impose a light enough sentence that her mother might be free one day.
"I just want to see something good come out of this," Soloman said. "Putting her in prison for the rest of her life won't help anyone."
Should Grimditch be freed, the daughter promised to allow her mother to live with her and to monitor her behavior, as she already was doing at the time of the Milton crash.
"I called her probation officer," Soloman said. "I was concerned about my mother's drinking and I wanted to let him know she was drinking to excess. ... I wanted to find out if there was a way he could order her into treatment
I MISS YOU CHRIS
