I missed this last month, but Catherine Frances Lyon, the driver who struck and killed John Henrik Fauerby, 64, and Lynne Frances Rosenbusch, 58 as they rode their tandem bike near Chesapeake Beach, MD last October, was sentenced in August. Lyon was driving drunk and was originally charged with 9 counts, which was quickly lowered to 4 - two counts of negligent homicide-DUI and two counts of vehicular homicide - driving while impaired. This was not her first time being caught driving drunk.
Last May she pleaded guilty to two counts of automobile manslaughter, which carried a maximum penalty of 10 years each, but she was expected to only be sentenced to something between 3 months and 8 years. She got 10 years for each count, but all but 18 months of it was suspended. After 3 years in prison, she'll have 5 years probation.
This is a bit tougher than usual. For those charged with a crime in the traffic death of a cyclist in the DC area, the average sentence is 15 months. For those convicted in DUI-related deaths it's 2 years 8 months (but some drivers were not charged, and others not convicted).
And upon her release, she should be presented with a bicycle to use as her sole mode of personal transport for the rest her days...
Posted by: Kolo Jezdec | September 21, 2016 at 07:53 AM
She should lose her driving license for a much longer period, like the 20 years she could have gotten for the crime.
Posted by: SJE | September 21, 2016 at 10:45 AM
Maryland, not Virginia.
Posted by: ACyclistInThePortCIty | September 21, 2016 at 11:31 AM
First time drunk driver should be 5 years suspended driving license. Second offense should be lifetime revocation.
Posted by: Greenbelt | September 21, 2016 at 01:14 PM