Woman Smiling in Viral DUI Mugshot Is a Lot Less Happy After Judge Makes His Ruling
Losing a loved one because of a serious vehicle accident is always tragic and horrifying, no matter what the cause. But let’s face it — losing them in a vehicle accident because someone had too much to drink and made the irresponsible decision to drive while intoxicated is nothing less than infuriating.
Unfortunately, that’s the kind of decision Ocala, Florida, resident Angenette Missett made, which resulted in her slamming into the back of a vehicle that was stopped at a red light.
That vehicle was driven by a 19-year-old woman with her 60-year-old mother in the passenger seat.
The mother, Sandra Clarkston, lost her life four days after the crash due to injuries sustained.
And Missett, who was promptly booked the night of the crash, decided to flash a great big smile for her mugshot.
The picture, which she now presumably regrets, went viral across social media, prompting a firestorm of condemnation.
That smile will be wiped away soon enough.
— Go Dawgs! (@Shickee) May 18, 2018
Missett crashed into the women while driving 73 mph with a blood alcohol level of double the .08 legal limit in the state of Florida, according to Ocala Star-Banner.
Even worse, the prosecutor in the case explained, she didn’t attempt to help the injured persons or contact authorities after the wreck. She did, however, call her soon-to-be husband.
Missett’s tune changed quickly when she faced a judge and the deceased woman’s family in a Florida courtroom last week.
According to WTVT-TV in Tampa, a crying Missett told the victim’s family, “I am truly, truly sorry. If I could change spots with your mother, I would in a heartbeat.”
She said she had a problem with alcohol but had been sober for a long time, so she thought she could handle a night out drinking, the Star-Banner reported.
She was obviously wrong.
The Florida judge sentenced Missett to 11 years in prison on the DUI manslaughter charge — a sentence that the victim’s daughter, Shiyanne Kroll, said she thought was fair.
Every day of the week and especially on weekends, thousands of people head out on the town to party and consume alcohol. Unfortunately, at the end of the night, many of those same people say things like, “I’m fine to drive,” when they’re not.
Sure, a majority get home safely and think nothing of it. But far too often, bad things happen.
Whether that’s being pulled over by police and getting a DUI or crashing into an innocent person’s vehicle and causing a fatality — it occurs far too often.
If Missett would have stopped to render aid or contact 911, or if she hadn’t sported a big smile in her mugshot, she might not have had the book thrown at her.
But 11 years in the slammer seems fitting given her long list of poor choices that evening.
Hopefully, her story serves as a stark reminder that it’s never acceptable to drink and drive.
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