The Chicago Sun Times reported on the ending to a tragic motorcycle accident that claimed the lives of a St. Charles, Illinois couple and injured several others in a chain-reaction crash that was started by then-24-year-old Alia Bernard in 2009.
Bernard was sentenced to seven years behind bars, after she pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated driving under the influence. Trace amounts of pot were found in her system at the time of the crash that killed Wade and Denise Thomas as they were riding their motorcycle.
The judge ruled that probation would have diminished the seriousness of her actions.
Bernard testified that she was sorry for the families’ losses and that she had wanted to apologize for three years.
It was established that Bernard was not actually high at the time of the crash. She claimed that a “strobe light” effect of light glaring off of the nearby motorcycle is what caused her to reach down, take her eyes off the road and grab her sunglasses from the cup holder, but prosecutors noted that she was texting on her cell phone around the time of the crash.
The Sun Times also reported that a 2009 lawsuit against Bernard was settled by the Thomas estate early this year, but that there were no available details on the case.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Thomas family and all of the others involved in the crash, and we urge drivers not to text behind the wheel. For information on how to keep yourself and your family safe, call us at 800.800.5678 for your complimentary book.