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A WOMAN WHO tweeted ’2 drunk 2 care’ hours before causing a fatal road crash that killed two other women has been sentenced to 24 years in jail.
Floridian Kayla Mendoza drove the wrong way down a motorway at speeds of up to 154 km/h before crashing head on into another vehicle, killing best friends Kaitlyn Ferrante and Marisa Catronio, both 21.
22-year-old Mendoza broke both her legs and suffered head injuries in the crash and continues to use a wheelchair.
CBS News reports that she made a tearful apology in court for her actions. In February, Mendoza pleaded guilty to two charges of DUI manslaughter.
She has previously insisted that the ’2 drunk 2 care’ tweet was directed at her boyfriend, not about her decision to drive.
US media has been referring to Mendoza as the “pothead princess”, a moniker she had given to herself on her now defunct Twitter page.
Sky News reports that Mendoza’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit after she had drunk two large margaritas from “fishbowl size” glasses.
In letters read out in court, some family members said they could not forgive Mendoza.
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“How do you forgive someone that ruined your life and your family’s life forever?”, one relative told the court
Kaitlyn Ferrante’s sister Ashley told the court:
“Drinking and driving is not an accident, no-one accidentally does it. It’s a reckless and careless mistake.”
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