Facebook, Drunk Driving Cost Teen Jail Time

A teenage driver was sentenced to six months of jail and five years probation after crashing her car while drunk and killing her boyfriend, Alex Rozicki, 20, on May 30, 2009 in North Tonawanda, NY (which is located halfway between Buffalo and Niagara Falls).

Ashley Sullivan was 17 at the time and thus underage. She had a BAC of .13, with the legal limit for adults of .08. What’s worse, and what probably cost her jail time, is that a month after the incident, she went on a trip to Florida, and posted a photo to her Facebook page titled “Drunk in Florida.”

County Judge Matthew J. Murphy III told Sullivan:

“I’m troubled by your conduct since the crash, and that’s the reason for the jail sentence.”

He also denied her youthful offender status for the same reason, saying, “I don’t believe the defendant has earned it.” However, he could have sentenced her to four years in jail.

Judge Murphy also made it very clear that she had best not drink while on probation, adding, “You’re 17 years old. You’re not old enough to drink.” Meanwhile, when Sullivan’s defense attorney Glenn Murray said in court, “This young woman is remorseful,” a laugh arose from the audience, which drew a reprimand from Judge Murphy.

Furthermore, Murphy revoked Sullivan’s driver’s license, and ordered that after her release, she be under electronic monitoring for a year. The Rozicki family plans a wrongful death lawsuit against Sullivan.