BARMAID GETS PRISON IN COLLISION LANCASTER DRUNK DRIVER KILLED PALMDALE WOMAN.Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO Staff Writer LANCASTER -- A Lancaster bar waitress was sentenced Friday to 15 years to life in prison for driving drunk and crashing head-on into another car, killing a 66-year-old Palmdale woman. Anna Hernandez, 33, apologized in court to the family of victim Emma Smolinisky, who had four children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. The victim's two daughters and oldest grandson spoke at Hernandez's sentencing hearing, which was an hour-and-a-half long and described by prosecutors as emotionally draining. "They talked about the pain they suffered from their loss, the memories they shared with her, and the future memories that they will never experience," Deputy District Attorney Tina Roberts said. "The sentence was appropriate because the victim lost her life and the family is sentenced to life without 'Mami Gatty,' so I think the defendant should get a life sentence." Hernandez was convicted in a jury trial last month of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter vehicular manslaughter n. the crime of causing the death of a human being due to illegal driving of an automobile, including gross negligence, drunk driving, reckless driving, or speeding. while intoxicated in·tox·i·cate v. in·tox·i·cat·ed, in·tox·i·cat·ing, in·tox·i·cates v.tr. 1. To stupefy or excite by the action of a chemical substance such as alcohol. 2. for the Dec. 3, 2004, fatal wrong-way collision on the Antelope Valley Freeway The Antelope Valley Freeway is a freeway in Los Angeles and Kern counties in southern California. It is signed as California State Highway 14 along its length. It connects Greater Los Angeles to the rapidly developing Antelope Valley. . At the time, Hernandez had a blood-alcohol level of 0.21 percent, more than 2 1/2 times the 0.08 percent limit at which a person is considered drunk, and was on probation for a 2003 misdemeanor driving under the influence conviction in Van Nuys. Family and friends of Hernandez also spoke on her behalf. "They too are hurting because of the defendant's conduct. Everybody was crying," Roberts said. Today would have been Smolinisky's 67th birthday. A juror juror n. any person who actually serves on a jury. Lists of potential jurors are chosen from various sources such as registered voters, automobile registration or telephone directories. in a questionnaire summed up the trial as a "very sad case of a life ruined and a life lost," Roberts said. The collision occurred about 3 a.m. south of Vista Point. Hernandez was coming from work at a bar and restaurant in Palmdale, and Smolinisky was heading to her job at a packing company in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. , prosecutors said. Hernandez was driving a Honda Passport This article is about the SUV. For the motorcycle, see Honda C70. The Honda Passport was a compact SUV produced by Isuzu, released in 1994, as Honda's first entry in the truck market for the United States, and only sold in the United States. ; Smolinsky was in a Nissan Sentra. Prosecutors said Hernandez got on the freeway going the wrong way at Angeles Forest Highway The Angeles Forest Highway traverses the Angeles National Forest and connects the Los Angeles basin to the Antelope Valley by going up and over the San Gabriel Mountains. The highway is variously known as County Road N-3 or FH-59 or the Palmdale cutoff. It is about 25 miles long. . karen.maeshiro@dailynews.com (661) 267-5744 |
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