On Wednesday, August 26th, Judge Ronda Holliman, of the Champaign County Circuit Court, Illinois sentenced Ashia Marshall to six years in prison. The woman was found guilty for driving her car off an unfinished bridge last September while under the influence.
The accident occured on the Bradley Avenue Bridge. Marshall stood trial for aggravated DUI and causing bodily harm to two people traveling with her when she crashed. During the sentencing hearing, the county prosecutors called several law enforcement officers to testify.
Have you or a loved one been involved in an accident? Speak to a lawyer for a free no obligation consultation
Or call us at (888) 699-7975
One of the officers informed the court that he responded to a call about the defendant running someone over with her car after an argument on the day of the accident. Another county lawman, James Warren, said that he tried to conduct a traffic stop on Marshall, but she drove off, and he pursued her.
The officer added that after the woman crashed, she fled on foot, but he caught and arrested her. Warren found ecstasy and cocaine in the defendant’s car and informed the court that she drove without a driver’s license.
Marshall’s mother, Stephanie, and her grandmother, Marilyn Booker, testified that she struggled with substance abuse and mental health illness. They pleaded with the court to send her to an institution to get help and not to prison.
Judge Holliman disagreed, saying she believes that imprisonment is necessary for the public’s safety and proceeded to read out the number of years the defendant will serve. There is no information on the victims’ testimony, but they have reportedly recovered from their injuries.
Disclaimer: The Safety Watch article you just read includes information obtained from numerous sources. These sources include, but are not limited to, websites and press releases from law enforcement, the county coroner, fire departments, and other news outlets. While we strive to provide readers with the most accurate information, sometimes the information received is not entirely accurate. For complete details, please refer to an official police report.
The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.