Woman charged under new, stricter vehicular-homicide law

Within hours of new legislation going into effect that nearly triples prison terms for those convicted of vehicular homicide, a 31-year-old Federal Way woman allegedly caused a fatal crash late Thursday after mixing prescription drugs with pink Champagne.

By Sara Jean Green
Seattle Times staff reporter

Within hours of new legislation going into effect that nearly triples prison terms for those convicted of vehicular homicide, a 31-year-old Federal Way woman allegedly caused a fatal crash a week ago after mixing prescription drugs with pink Champagne.

Michelle Leigh Dittamore was charged Wednesday with vehicular homicide, accused of slamming her father’s two-seat sports car — which she didn’t have permission to drive — head-on into a vehicle driven by Jana Lynne Berry, 48, who was killed instantly at the scene of the June 7 late-night crash.

Dittamore, who spent nearly two days at Seattle’s Harborview Medical Center, was booked into King County Jail on Saturday, where she is being held in lieu of $250,000 bail, according to court and jail records.

Dittamore’s 4-year-old son, Grayson, was in the front passenger seat and suffered bruising from the seat belt and air bag, according to charging documents. His presence in the vehicle at the time of the crash is considered an enhancement that, should Dittamore be convicted, will add a year onto her prison sentence.

Dittamore was driving in Federal Way just after 11 p.m. when she allegedly crossed the centerline on Pacific Highway South and collided head-on with Berry’s 1993 Honda Civic, charging papers say. The force of the collision caused Berry’s car to spin around, and it was struck broadside by another vehicle, the papers say. Berry died instantly.

Witnesses and police officers found Dittamore still in the driver’s seat. A drug recognition expert observed that her “speech was slow, thick-tongued and slurred,” and that Dittamore “would stop talking in the middle of sentences” and insisted her son was with his father, charging papers say.

Dittamore had allegedly consumed one tumbler of pink Champagne and the drug Klonopin, a benzodiazepine, which is known to make users dizzy or drowsy, before the crash, charging papers say. Her prescription for Klonopin, along with her father’s prescription for Ambien, a sleep aid, were found in Dittamore’s vehicle, the papers say.

Dittamore, whose license was suspended in 2009, apparently sneaked into her father’s bedroom and took his car keys along with his Ambien prescription, charging papers say. She didn’t have permission to drive her father’s Honda S2000, nor was she insured to drive, the papers say.

In March, Gov. Chris Gregoire signed into law a bill that increased prison terms for those convicted of vehicular homicide to six to 8 1/2 years, an increase from the previous 2 ½ to almost 3 ½ years. The law went into effect on the day of the crash.

Eating While Driving Riskier Than Being Legally Impaired By Alcohol Or Texting

PUBLISHED MAY 7, 2012
BY JEFF COBB

Would you believe that eating food while at the wheel of a vehicle could be more dangerous than drinking or texting while driving?

According to a study by the University of Leeds called “Two Hands Better than One,” this is exactly what researchers found based on observation of test subjects operating driving simulators.

The UK researchers measured reaction time while drivers negotiated virtual vehicles, and as it turns out, eating increased response times by 44 percent.

In contrast, texting increased reaction time by 37 percent, and drinking a non-alcoholic beverage from a can or bottle increased reaction time by 22 percent.

And what about the one driving no-no that that nearly everyone agrees is undesirable – drinking alcohol and operating a vehicle?

Drivers asked to operate the simulator who were at the U.S. “legal limit” of .08 percent blood alcohol content increased reaction time by 12.5 percent.

We have heard no word yet on whether Mothers Against Drunk Driving will now open an auxiliary unit focusing on the ill effects of fast food drive-in lines and convenience stores.

Seriously though, distracted driving is a real problem – as is following too closely, we’ll add.

Common sense dictates that drivers can compound their chances for an accident if they do not self-govern and recognize their limits. And as the study indicates, a distraction can come in several forms – even ones that have been considered benign.

In fact also, different people have different levels of skills, psychological temperaments, tolerances, and in short, what one person may get away with, could be deadly for another.

For example, studies on alcohol consumption and driving have shown some habitual drunk drivers did so dozens of times before actually being caught by the law.

For one thing, researchers found habitual drunk drivers can be practiced at hunkering down and focusing as much of their waning attention ability on the task at hand, for fear of being busted.

In contrast, eating while driving is a time-honored tradition – and big business we’ll add – and perhaps this could create a false sense of security?

Much more could be said about this subject which the U.S. Department of Transportation has been up in arms about in recent years, labeling distracted driving an “epidemic.”

Bottom line is be safe, and stay in control. Try to recognize what will distract you and as a word to the wise: don’t do it.