Gresham takes plea in GV traffic fatality
KINGMAN – A Golden Valley woman accepted responsibility for a deadly traffic accident with a guilty plea Friday, May 12. Brittany Gresham, 32, pleaded guilty to negligent homicide, reduced from the manslaughter count for which she was indicted.
Aggravated assault and driving while under the influence related charges are dismissed in the deal.
The Department of Public Safety said Gresham was on Verde Rd. when she pulled out onto Highway 68 in front of an oncoming vehicle last Dec. The resulting collision injured the driver of the second vehicle and claimed the life of its passenger Emily Sampson, 20, Kingman.
Deputy Mohave County Attorney Leah Nelson said prescription pills addressing the defendant’s mental health issues resulted in her impairment at the time of the collision. And Gresham told Judge Lee Jantzen that her vision was obscured by a blind spot when she entered the highway.
“I couldn’t see the truck at all,” Gresham said.
Jantzen said he recalls at least two other fatality cases arising from sun blinded drivers on portions of Highway 68 over the last three decades.
Judge Jantzen can place Gresham on probation and order her jail release at a June 23 sentencing hearing. He can also order a prison sentence of up to 2.5-years.
Dave Hawkins
