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Man gets 30 years for vehicular homicide
A man, charged with vehicular homicide in the Aug. 3, 2008, Lee Road crash that killed two University of West Georgia students received a 30-year sentence Monday afternoon. Otuwa Otuwa, 24, was sentenced to 15 years for each of the two deaths, with the two sentences to run consecutively. The sentences will run concurrently with a 12-year sentence Otuwa has already been serving for a 2003 burglary conviction. Otuwa was out on probation on the burglary charge when the accident occurred and his probation was immediately revoked. He will received credit for time served since the crash.
The 2008 wreck killed Otuwa’s sister, Gracie Otuwa, 26, and her friend, Andre Robert Houston, 25. Both were passengers in the 2004 Chevrolet Impala driven by Otuwa that left Lee Road near Old Lee Road in Lithia Springs at a high rate of speed and hit a tree. Both had just graduated from college the previous day. A jury returned its verdict Friday, finding Otuwa guilty on all counts. Otuwa was originally charged with nine counts including vehicular homicide, driving under the influence (DUI) and reckless driving. Douglas County Superior Court Judge David Emerson chose to consolidate the charges for sentencing into two vehicular homicide counts, one for each death in the crash.
In imposing the sentence Monday, Emerson said Otuwa chose to drive the vehicle, even though he had been drinking and they had a designated driver. He noted that court testimony showed that Otuwa had previously wrecked two other vehicles while under the influence of alcohol. “He knew driving after drinking any alcohol was a problem,” Emerson said. “State’s evidence showed his blood alcohol to be two times the legal limit and the jury agreed with this evidence.” Emerson said Otuwa has 30 days to appeal the sentence or to seek a new trial. Before the sentencing, the court heard tearful pleas from families of both the victims and defendant. “I can never forget the last time I talked to him,” said Sam Houston, father of victim Andre Houston, choking back tears, told the judge. “He said he made all A’s and wanted to go to grad school. All I can do now is look at his picture. I never thought he’d lose his life at such an early age.”
“I really miss my son, I’m just floored by this,” said Shirley Houston, Andre’s mother. “His clothes are still in the dresser drawer and two closets. I think of him every day. He never leaves my mind.” Otuwa’s family and friends testified in his behalf at Monday’s sentencing hearing. Jenene Bell, who said she was a 15-year friend of the family, told the judge that she had been a public school teacher for 31 years and had seen all kinds of bad people, and that Otuwa doesn’t fit the profile. “I know bad kids,” Bell said. “This is not a bad kid. He is not evil, not violent. He’s suffering from something beyond his control.” he asked the judge to consider letting the family pick up the cost of institutionalizing him, and “somehow make some sense out of this horrible event.” Other friends and family described Otuwa as a quiet person, someone who loves his family and needs rehabilitation instead of punishment.
Defense attorney Frank Winn quoted from several letters from Otuwa’s friends who described him as a “man of very few words” and “a humble person,” and said they were surprised at the nature of the charges. “We’re very sorry about what happened,” Winn told the judge, “and Mr. Otuwa is very sorry.” However, Assistant District Attorney Eddie Barker painted a different picture, saying Otuwa is a person who has shown no remorse for his actions. Barker said that during the two-week trial, the court heard overwhelming evidence from the Georgia State Patrol and vehicle technology that showed Otuwa had consumed two times the legal limit of alcohol and was driving the car at a high rate of speed. “There comes a time when the price has to be paid for your conduct,” Barker said. Otuwa did not make a statement during the sentencing hearing.
This story appeared in the Douglas County Sentinel on 2.23.10 and was written by Winston Jones.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected by this senseless tragedy. Drinking and driving is dangerous and against the law. Think twice before you drink and have a planned designated driver. The lawyers at Link & Smith, P.C. extend their sympathy to anybody that was involved in this wreck. Claims involving wrecks like this need to be handled by experienced accident lawyers familiar with complicated insurance issues that often arise in such a case.
For a FREE consultation with our attorneys concerning this accident, call 1-888-315-8840
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[...] P.C. extend their sympathy to anybody that was involved in this wreck. Claims involving wrecks like this need to be handled by experienced accident lawyers familiar with complicated insurance issues that [...]
[...] influecne of alcohol causes an increased likelihood of a motor vehicle accident. A man was recently sentenced to 30 years in prison earlier this year because of a DUI accident that killed two if the passengers in the vehicle he was [...]