Teen driver sent to prison for fatal Raleigh wreck

Raleigh, N.C. — A Millbrook High School student was sentenced Friday to six months in prison for a January wreck that killed a classmate.

Garrett Prince, 17, of 11004 Coachman's Way, lost control of his Jeep on Jan. 7 and slammed into a tree along Rainwater Road, police said. Passenger Elizabeth Molloy, 17, died in the crash.

Investigators said the Jeep was traveling 75 mph in a 30-mph zone at the time and that Prince had a blood-alcohol content of 0.29. Under North Carolina law, a driver is considered impaired with a blood-alcohol content of 0.08.

Prince pleaded guilty to felony death by vehicle and driving while impaired and was sentenced to 36 to 56 months in prison. The sentence was suspended to six months behind bars and five years on probation, according to the Wake County District Attorney's Office.

Charges of provisional DWI, careless and reckless driving, having an open container of liquor, speeding and possession of marijuana were dismissed as part of a plea agreement.

As part of his sentence, Prince has to spend Dec. 26 through Jan. 8 for the next five years in jail to commemorate the anniversary of Molloy's death. He also cannot drive for four years or consume any alcohol until he is off probation.

Prince also must pay $19,309 in restitution.

Anthony Du Juan Geter, 21, of 7101 Sandy Forks Road, Apt. 3A, pleaded guilty in May to buying two bottles of rum for the teens and was placed on probation.

Hannah R. Smith, 18, of 8617 Hawksmoor Drive, still faces charges of hosting an underage drinking party that Molloy and Prince attended, while Samantha M. McKinney, 17, of Raleigh, and an unidentified 15-year-old face charges of helping to buy the liquor.

Smith and McKinney were also Millbrook High students at the time of the crash.

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If people who can drive don't suffer the full legal consequences of driving drunk the FIRST offense, they're just going to do it again. Six months is NOTHING compared to how many months of live this girl lost, how many months her parents and other family members will suffer for the rest of their lives at her absence, etc. We can't be so lenient. If you throw the "kids make mistakes" argument out here, you should be ashamed. Yes, kids make mistakes (like not doing homework, like breaking curfew, like forgetting their gym clothes, like back-talking their parent(s)), but when it's getting behind the wheel after drinking and the result is loss of life or permanent injury, the punishment needs to be the most severe the law allows, WITHOUT a judge being able to shave off time. That girl lost her life, people. How can anyone excuse that? Ever.

JDAmbrosio
October 8, 2012 12:19 p.m.

What is Tarheel born reading? Perhaps someone should check his/her BAC...

packalum09
October 8, 2012 8:34 a.m.

Justice was not served.

Pepe Silvia
October 3, 2012 1:18 p.m.

The article gave me the impression he will go straight to prison now for 6 months and when the 6 months is up, he will be on probation and will spend 12/26 thru 1/8 in jail each year for the next 5 years. tran October 2, 2012 2:00 p.m. Report abuse

READ it again........

Hey Tarheelborn... "tran" DID read it correctly. Maybe you should read it again. The convicted will spend Dec 26th though Jan 8 each of the next five years. This is AFTER he does 6 months. tran is correct.

amzdbycomments
October 3, 2012 12:28 p.m.