Just this past New Years a young woman, by the name of Elizabeth R. Rhodes, (now married with the last name Jacobson) was apart of a fatal car accident on Highway 10, around 3:30 am. The victim's involved in the accident were Deputy Sheriff Joseph Lopez and his wife, Maggie, who died in her husbands arms. Rhodes, who was overly drunk, was going the opposite direction on the highway, and collided head on with Lopez's squad car. Earlier in the evening, Elizabeth and her then boyfriend were found by the police at their apartment, after a neighbor complained, and were told to cool down. By the time the officer who had visited Rhodes caught up to her car, it was too late. Recently, Rhodes went to the stand, and quote "entered Alford pleas to charges of criminal vehicular homicide and criminal vehicular operation." This means that the defended agrees their is enough evidence to arrest her, but she does not plead guilty.
What a horrific story! Obviously Rhodes to me is in fault for the accident, but i'm sure she never intended to hurt anybody that night. In the real world however, that doesn't mean all that much if you intended to do something or not. Rhode's judgement was impaired, but that does not make her choice to drive while intoxicated ok. I think her choice to enter Alford pleas is stupid, with the evidence that the prosecuter has, but at the same time she has a family who she wants to be with and not in jail. The death of Maggie lopez is terrible and I hope that the Lopez family is doing better!
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