UPDATED 1:50 P.M.
PEKIN, Ill. – The former Bradley University student responsible for the deaths of two pedestrians because she struck them while driving drunk learned her fate today.
Stephanie Melgoza, 24, was sentenced to 14 years in the Department of Corrections by a Tazewell County judge Thursday morning. She pled guilty in February to charges of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence causing death and Aggravated Reckless Driving.
Melgoza must serve at least 85% of her sentence, but received credit for 120 days in home confinement.
The incident occurred April of last year when she struck and killed Andrea Rosewicz, 43, of Ohio, and Paul Prowant, 55, of Seattle, as they were walking along North Main Street in East Peoria in April of last year.
“She and her family feel terrible for these people, and wish it never would have occurred and wish they could do whatever they could to ease the grief involved in the situation,” said Kevin Sullivan, Melgoza’s lawyer, after the sentencing hearing.
The families of the victims spoke at the hearing, imploring Judge Timothy Cusack to give the maximum sentence. One called Melgoza a “monster” and said she destroyed multiple families with her actions.
Another relative said that everyone makes mistakes, but not to the degree that Melgoza did.
Melgoza herself spoke before being sentenced. She apologized to the victims’ families, saying she never meant to hurt and cause pain, and will have to live with her actions every day. Melgoza also said at the hearing that she wants to speak out and warn others about the dangers of drunk driving.
“I think the greatest tribute, and hopefully her legacy will be, paying it forward, so she can prevent, prohibit, or discourage this type of behavior amongst others,” Sullivan said.
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PEKIN, Ill. – A former Bradley University student who killed two pedestrians in East Peoria because she was driving drunk will spend most of the next fourteen years in prison.
A Tazewell County judge Thursday handed that sentence to Stephanie Melgoza, 24, who pleaded guilty to charges of Aggravated Driving Under the Influence Causing Death, and Aggravated Reckless Driving.
Melzoga struck and killed Andrea Rosewicz, 43, of Ohio, and Paul Prowant, 55, of Seattle, as they were walking along North Main Street in East Peoria in April of last year.
Melgoza, who ended up not being allowed to walk in Bradley’s commencement last year, also received credit for 120 days already served. She must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence before she can be released.
At the sentencing hearing, Melgoza expressed remorse for the accident, and apologizing to the victims’ families. She says she’ll have to live with what she did every day, and that when she’s released, she would like to “pay it forward” by speaking to teens and young adults about the dangers of drunk driving.
Rosewicz’s family said they should be able to spend more time with their loved one, but can’t.
This story will be updated.
