A mother whose drunk driving accident resulted in her daughter's death was sentenced to 19 years in prison on Friday.
The accident happened in January 2011. Temecula resident Karen Faye Honeycutt, 41-years-old, lost control of her Jeep. The vehicle hit a light pole and overturned.
Honeycutt's 9-year-old daughter, Chloe, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle and died. Her 17-year-old son, Charles William Jr., known as "Tre," also not wearing a seatbelt, was thrown from the vehicle and suffered a broken back. Her 8-year-old son Zachary, known as Myles, who was wearing a seatbelt, was not seriously injured. The drunk driver suffered a broken neck.
After the accident, police found an empty beer can in Honeycutt's Jeep and eleven empty beer cans at her home. She had a blood-alcohol level of .22%, nearly 3 times the legal limit. Traces of marijuana were also found in her blood.
Honeycutt was charged with 2nd degree murder, driving under the influence of a drug and alcohol, gross vehicular manslaughter while driving under the influence and driving with a blood-alcohol level more than .08%.
Honeycutt admitted to driving under the influence. She pleaded guilty to the vehicular manslaughter of her daughter and inflicting great bodily harm on her other two children who survived.
The drunk driver's 8-year-old son Myles told investigators that his mom had been drinking beer and cursing while waiting to pick up his sibling from school.
Honeycutt had a history of four DUI convictions between 1994 and 2009. Though her driver's license was previously suspended, she was able to get a new license after she attended a DUI alcohol treatment program.