St. Louis Officer Faces Prison For Fatal DUI

Off Duty Accident Leaves Four Dead

Christine Miller, 43, a former officer with the St. Louis police department, was sentenced to an 8-year prison term after she caused a wreck that killed four young Indian students. She showed great remorse during her sentencing, weeping and begging the families of the victims for forgiveness.

On the night of the accident, Miller was drinking at O’Leary’s Bar and Restaurant in southwest St. Louis County. A receipt found in her car showed she had drunk five Cosmopolitans that evening, each of which contained about 2 and a half shots of liquor, according to the prosecution.

Miller left the bar and was in the wrong lane at 1:45 AM, when she collided with a car driven by Natesh Adusumilli, 27, who was seriously injured but eventually recovered. His passengers, including his fiancé Anita Lakshmids Veerapaneni, a graduate student at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, and three of their friends, were killed in the crash.

Miller Pleads Guilty In Remorse For Crime

The former officer was also seriously wounded in the accident, suffering from lasting neurological damage that continues to the present day. When the hospital administered a BAC test 40 minutes after the accident, it returned with a result of .229, nearly three times the legal limit.

The 12-year veteran of the force pled guilty to four counts of involuntary manslaughter and one count of second-degree assault. She officially resigned from the department earlier this week before receiving her sentence, believing that she no longer deserved her position as an officer of the law. The judge sentenced her to 8 years for each manslaughter charge and another 7 for the assault, which she will serve concurrently.

O’Leary’s bar has also agreed to pay most of the $2.3 million compensation owed to the families for the life insurance policies on the victims, with Miller herself covering $255,000.

A Personal Injury Lawyer Is On Your Side

Accidents can leave lasting damage on victims, who often find that their lives are changed forever by the trauma, both physical and emotional, that they have suffered. At the Law Office Of Meyerkord and Meyerkord, our team of experts has dedicated themselves to serving clients in the Missouri area. A St. Louis personal injury attorney at our firm can ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve. Don’t let the negligence of another destroy your life!

Contact a St Louis auto accident lawyer today for a free consultation.