Blackwell sentenced to 10 years probation

Debby Schamber

There were tears of regret in the courtroom as Hilary Ann Blackwell, 23, of Vidor, apologized to her victim following sentencing of 10 years probation, a $2,000 fine and 180 days in jail for intoxication assault.

Blackwell pleaded guilty before Judge Pat Clark in the 128th District Court on June 4. She returned Friday to be sentenced.

“Some people may feel probation is a slap on the wrist, but I feel it’s a slap in the face if you come back before me,” Clark warned Blackwell. “You owe this lady a debt of gratitude. In the PSI (pre-sentence investigation report) she went along with this sentence as long as you spent some time in jail.”

The charges stem from an incident when Blackwell was driving in the wrong direction on Interstate 10 near the Purple Heart Memorial Bridge and struck 62-year-old Alice Sue Herrington of Kountze.

According to reports, Blackwell was driving her 2000 Ford Mustang about 2 a.m. on January 12. She was traveling west while Herrington was traveling east in her 2004 Toyota Avalon.

As the two vehicles headed towards each other in the center lane, Herrington tried to take evasive action and steered slightly away. However, her vehicle was struck on the front left as the vehicles collided. Blackwell’s vehicle spun counter clockwise and stopped facing south while Herrington’s vehicle also spun counter clockwise but came to rest facing north.

Both women were transported by ambulance to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital with incapacitating injuries. Herrington was wearing her seatbelt, while Blackwell was not at the time of the accident.

As a result of the incident, Herrington received serious injuries. Herrington had a shattered right arm, multiple fractures in her chest and left leg. She also was placed on a ventilator for about a week following the accident.

According to reports, the officer noted Blackwell appeared to show several signs of intoxication. It was later determined the alcohol level in her blood was .19. In Texas the legal limit is .08.

Following the sentence, Herrington was given the chance to give a victim impact statement.

“You almost killed me,” she told Blackwell.

Herrington said before the wreck she was “very active” and a registered nurse for more than 30 years. However, immediately following the wreck she was in a wheelchair and was forced to rely on her family to take care of her. She added she still has health problems because of the incident and has not been able to return to work in her former capacity.

“The main thing is I’m glad it’s over and have some closure, but I will have to deal with this for the rest of my life,” Herrington said. “The time in jail will give her the opportunity to think about how much this has affected my life and about the things I can’t do anymore.”

With the upcoming July 4 holiday, Kathy Schexnaider-Bell of Mother’s Against Drunk Driving warns people to not drink and drive. She added, this holiday has proven to be one of the deadliest.

“I hope that people would consider DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) related crimes as the most preventable crime. This crime has a ripple effect to the innocent victims and their families,” she said. “All it takes is to make a choice not to drive under the influence of any drug or alcohol.”

Debby Schamber is a reporter for the Orange Leader. She can be reached at 409-883-3571 ext. 2603 or at dschamber@orangeleader.com.