Boston woman who struck and killed two Revere children in 2018 faces prison time

A Beacon Hill woman who struck and killed two young children in a horrific crash in Revere in 2018 has pleaded guilty to motor vehicle homicide, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s office.

Autumn Harris, 43, pleaded guilty during a Zoom hearing on Tuesday to two counts of negligent misdemeanor motor vehicle homicide. Suffolk Superior Court Judge Linda Giles sentenced Harris to 4 1/2 years in prison and four years of probation.

During that time, Harris will be prohibited from driving a motor vehicle and will lose her license for 15 years, according to the DA’s office.

“Two beautiful children are gone as a result (of) reckless behavior that could have been prevented,” Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said in a statement. “Ms. Harris may not have intended to cause harm, but she failed to show any concern for the foreseeable consequences of driving a nearly two-ton vehicle while incapacitated.”

A call to Harris’ attorney, Jeffrey Miller, was not immediately returned.

Harris was driving north on Revere Beach Parkway in the afternoon on Dec. 9, 2018, when her SUV left the road and struck 5-year-old Adrianna Mejia-Rivera and her 2-month-old sister Natasha Nicole Mejia-Rivera while they were waiting to cross the street with their mother and another adult and young child.

The 5-year-old was pronounced dead at the scene while her sister was rushed to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she died of her injuries two days later, plunging Revere into mourning.

Harris admitted to drinking one beer that afternoon and vaping non-THC cannabinoid oil while driving her 2015 Chevy Equinox, authorities said. Officers responding to the scene found a vape pen and an open can of Budweiser.

Harris told authorities she had taken a muscle relaxant and melatonin the previous night, had only slept for two hours before working a full day, and admitted she may have “nodded off” while driving. While she failed a series of field sobriety tests, a drug recognition expert determined Harris did not exhibit any signs of intoxication and a blood test showed no alcohol in her system.

“I only wish we were able to get a more significant sentence for this defendant,” Rollins said. “Had the case of intoxication been stronger, we would be looking at a different outcome.’’

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/36jMQYu