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Virginia Beach Woman Sentenced to Five Years Behind Bars For DUI Crash
Natasha Herzog was sentenced to five years in prison earlier this week after pleading guilty to DUI and involuntary manslaughter. On November 27, 2009, Hunter Richardson and Charlotte Staats were crossing Columbus Street after leaving the Guadalajara Restaurant at the Virginia Beach Town Center when they were struck by Herzog’s car. Eyewitnesses who were present at the scene of the accident estimated that Herzog was driving between 40 and 50 mph, even though the posted speed limit on Columbus Street was only 35 mph. The witnesses also reported that Herzog did not attempt to slow down or stop before hitting the two pedestrians.
Hunter Richardson’s life ended as a result of the accident and Charlotte Staats sustained serious injuries, which required metal rods, screws and bone grafts to repair her legs. The Virginia Beach police officers that responded to the accident scene reported that Herzog’s speech was slurred, her breath smelled like alcohol, she had bloodshot eyes and was unsteady on her feet.
Following her arrest, Herzog refused to take a breathalyzer test, which added an additional three months to her sentence. She was also denied bail prior to her trial because she was considered a danger to society and a flight risk by the judge. This incident was not the first criminal offense that Herzog has been charged with. She had previously been convicted for a DUI in 2005, reckless driving in 2000 and 2004, and driving on a suspended license in 2000, 2001 and 2002. She had also failed to show up for numerous court hearings related to her prior charges.
Herzog was originally sentenced to 16 years and 6 months in prison for the 2009 DUI, involuntary manslaughter, and reckless driving charges. However, in exchange for pleading guilty to the charges, the judge suspended a majority of the sentence. Herzog will be required to spend the next five years in prison. DUI offenses are serious charges that may carry substantial penalties including the suspension of your driver’s license, fines and even jail time. If you have been charged with a DUI it is imperative that you contact an experienced local attorney who can not only explain your rights and options under the law, but also vigorously defend your case in court.
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