Diabetic who caused fatal crash into bus stop shelter given prob - San Diego, California News Station - KFMB Channel 8 - cbs8.com

Diabetic who caused fatal crash into bus stop shelter given probation, ordered not to drive

SAN DIEGO (CNS) - A 73-year-old diabetic whose PT Cruiser crashed into a bus stop shelter in City Heights, killing a woman and seriously injuring her 4-year-old son and his father, was sentenced Friday to three years probation and barred from driving during that period.

Jean Chizer-Williams pleaded guilty in January to a felony charge of gross vehicular manslaughter and a misdemeanor count of driving on a suspended license.

Judge Charles Gill ordered the defendant to be on electronic surveillance for a year. He also suspended an eight-year prison sentence for Chizer-Williams, which could be imposed should she violate probation.

Prosecutors said the defendant had been driving even though her license had been suspended because of her medical condition, and her blood-sugar level was extremely low at the time of the June 4, 2011, crash.

Chizer-Williams was driving about 35 mph when she lost control of her vehicle and crashed into the bus shelter in the 4800 block of University Avenue, killing 25-year-old Vanessa Mae Shane.

Shane's 4-year-old son, Elijah, and boyfriend David Abilez -- the boy's father -- were seriously injured. Both had multiple broken bones and the child had shards of glass stuck in his liver, authorities said.

A prosecutor said Chizer-Williams had been involved in three prior non-injury collisions since 2006 due to the same set of circumstances. He said the defendant has had her driver's license suspended three times.