Clovis woman who injured mother, two kids in DUI crash will serve no jail time
A Clovis woman, whose drunk driving crash in 2018 seriously injured a mother and her two children, was sentenced to three years probation, despite a plea from the prosecutor for jail time.
Melissa Alexander, 42, pleaded no contest on Sept. 22 to driving under the influence causing injury and admitted to enhancements for causing great bodily injury. She faced a maximum punishment of 10 years in state prison.
The crash happened on Nov. 25, 2018 at about 3:30 p.m. at Ashlan and Greenwood avenues in east Fresno County. Alexander was driving a Dodge Ram truck when she blew through a stop sign on Greenwood Avenue, colliding with a Ford Explorer driven by Sarah Shelton of Fresno.
The California Highway Patrol found that Alexander’s blood alcohol concentration was more than the legal limit of .08%.
In exchange for her no contest plea, Judge James Kelley indicated Alexander would be sentenced to three years of probation, plus 45 days on the Adult Offender Work Program. Kelley also took into account Alexander’s lack of criminal history.
Prosecutor Steven Ueltzen disagreed, saying that wasn’t enough punishment.
All three of the victims were hurt in the crash with the driver, Shelton, receiving the worst of it.
She suffered a broken wrist, broken ribs, and a fractured pelvis. Shelton spent two and half weeks recovering in the hospital and about six weeks in a wheelchair once she was able to come home.
Shelton’s 10-year-old son broke his clavicle and punctured his lung. Her six-year-old daughter suffered lacerations and bruises on her face.
Ueltzen said the Fresno County Probation Department prepared a sentencing report with a recommendation that if Alexander received probation she should also serve 180 days at the Fresno County Jail.
Under the indicated sentence from Judge Kelley, Alexander could have served a maximum of up to 365 days in jail, a penalty supported by Ueltzen.
“The effects on the victims in this case are tragic. It may well be that they will experience a life-long physical and emotional impact from Ms. Alexander’s choices,” Ueltzen said in a news release.
“With this sentence, Ms. Alexander will spend no additional time in custody at the jail despite Probation’s recommendation of six months. In fact, Ms. Alexander will serve fewer days on the work program than the victim spent unable to walk because of Ms. Alexander’s choice to drive impaired.”
Alexander said during her sentencing hearing Wednesday that she was extremely remorseful for what happened that day.
Her attorney Michael Aed added that crash has also effected Alexander. She’s become more reclusive and has driven very little in the last three years. She also asks frequently about the well-being of the victims.
Aed said his client does not condone drinking and driving and she understands the severity of what can happen when you drive intoxicated.
“She made a poor decisions,” he said. “But this can really happen to anybody.”
The judge had previously agreed to reduce Alexander’s felony DUI charges to misdemeanors but changed his mind after hearing from the victims of the crash.
