Drunk Driving Crash Killed 3-year-old Girl
Court records show that a trial date has been set for a Pontiac woman accused of a fatal drunk driving crash that took the life of a little girl, and left others with serious injuries.
Just after 7 pm on April 17th, Iesha Barnes drove through an intersection without stopping at the posted stop sign. She was intoxicated at the time, and so not making the best of decisions. It was a single wrong move, made while under the influence of alcohol. Something that many people do without giving it a second thought. But the result in this case changed lives forever.
Barnes’ vehicle crashed into an SUV that was crossing the intersection at the time, seriously injuring the five occupants. One of those occupants was 3-year-old Tabatha Brown. She died of her injuries a few days later. And as a result of that little girl’s death, 24-year-old Barnes is now facing a lifetime in prison.
The Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office brought numerous charges against Barnes, which were amended after Tabatha’s death. She was charged with single counts of second-degree murder and operating while intoxicated causing death, along with three counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injuries.
Police records show that accident reconstructionists believe Barnes’ speed at the time of impact was somewhere between 50 and 62 miles per hour. In addition, there were no skid marks on the road and Barnes’ brakes gave no indication that she had tried to stop before impact. It was for this reason, the prosecutor claimed, that Barnes was said to have a “wanton disregard for human life.”
In addition, her blood alcohol content was .153, which is almost double Michigan’s legal limit for driving. It means Barnes was “super drunk.” Both of these factors, along with Tabatha’s death influenced the prosecution’s decision to upgrade the original charges.
There is no information as to whether or not the prosecutor’s office offered Barnes a plea bargain or not. But her trial has been scheduled for December 1st at 8:30am before Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Martha Anderson. Barnes is facing the possibility of life behind bars.
