Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 26, 1993 TAG: 9302260324
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LAURENCE HAMMACK STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
MAN GUILTY IN DRUNKEN-DRIVING DEATH
Timothy Scott Chrisman was driving home after a night of drinking in August when he veered head-on into an oncoming car, killing a 19-year-old woman and her unborn child.Chrisman, 27, of Roanoke County, pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter at a hearing Thursday in Salem Circuit Court.
He covered his eyes with one hand as Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Edward Lautenschlager described how Robin Renee Ward Patrick of Roanoke was killed in an Aug. 2 accident on West Main Street, near the western city limits.
Patrick, who was seven months pregnant, wanted to get out of the house on that hot night and had asked a friend to take her riding.
At 1:15 a.m., they crossed paths with Chrisman, who was driving home from a nightspot with a blood-alcohol content of 0.12 percent, over the 0.10 percent level at which state law presumes someone too intoxicated to drive.
Police said the driver of Patrick's car pulled into the center lane to avoid a collision, but was struck head-on by the car she was trying to avoid.
The impact injured the driver and another passenger in the car. Chrisman, who was alone in his car, was still seated in the driver's seat when police arrived.
An officer who responded to the accident testified that Chrisman twice tried to start his car as if to pull away, and was unable to explain why he had been driving in the wrong lane immediately before the crash.
Judge G.O. Clemens convicted Chrisman of involuntary manslaughter, but allowed him to remain free on bond until a sentencing hearing in April.
Chrisman's attorney, Jonathan Kurtin, said his client already has expressed a great deal of remorse for the accident.
He has arranged to speak to church groups about the danger of drunken driving, donated to a fund in Patrick's memory and even inquired about having a sign erected at the scene of the accident to warn people about what happened there.
"He is suffering such guilt and anxiety that he is under the care of a psychiatrist," Kurtin said. Chrisman will face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison when he is sentenced in April.
In the meantime, Clemens revoked his driver's license, which had remained valid since the accident.
Keywords:
FATALITY