A WOMAN, WHO WAS DRUNK WHEN SHE CAUSED A CRASH THAT KILLED 2 PEOPLE (JUST NORTH OF SANTA CRUZ LAST YEAR) HAS BEEN SENTENCED TO SPEND 26 YEARS IN PRISON. SHERRI LEE CHIN WAS DRIVING SOUTH IN A FRIEND’S VAN WHEN SHE VEERED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON HIGHWAY 1. THE VAN HIT AND KILLED A 54 YEAR-OLD SCOTTS VALLEY MAN, WHO WAS RIDING NORTHBOUND ON A MOTORCYCLE. THE VAN’S OWNER, WHO WAS A PASSENGER AT THE TIME, ALSO SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES IN THAT NOVEMBER ACCIDENT. A 2ND PASSENGER IN THE VAN SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES.
CHIN, WHO WAS DRIVING ON A SUSPENDED LICENSE AT THE TIME, AND WHO HAD 2 PRIOR DRUNKEN DRIVING CONVICTIONS HAD A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.27 (MAKING IT MORE THAN 3 TIMES THE LEGAL LIMIT).
