A Missouri woman, known for stealing Nancy Pelosi’s nameplate during the January 6 Capitol attack, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for causing a deadly crash while driving drunk, KSDK news reports.
Emily Hernandez, 25, was convicted for the death of 32-year-old Victoria Wilson and the injury of her husband, Ryan E. Wilson, in a crash on January 5, 2022.
Franklin County Judge Ryan Helfrich handed down the sentence on Wednesday, giving Hernandez 10 years for the fatal crash and an additional seven years for injuring Wilson’s husband. The two sentences will run concurrently.
At the court hearing, Ryan Wilson, who was severely injured in the crash, shared his pain. “No matter how loud I cried out to her, I couldn’t wake her,” he was quoted as saying to KSDK, using a cane to walk due to the extent of his injuries. “I couldn’t reach her because of the air bags.”
Hernandez was driving on the wrong side of the highway when she crashed into the Wilsons’ vehicle. Her blood-alcohol content after the crash was 0.20% which is more than double the legal limit. “What I did was ungodly and I will live with that shame for the rest of my life,” Hernandez said in court. “I am sorry for what I did and if I could take it all back, I would,” she added.
Victoria Wilson’s family was relieved to see justice, but they acknowledged the permanent pain. “Nothing will bring her back,” said Tonie Donaldson, Victoria’s mother, as quoted by KSDK. “It was some relief to be able to turn and look her in her eyes and tell her how much harm she had really done to us … that’s a choice she made, she has to live with it.”
Hernandez had been pardoned by President Donald Trump last week on his first day in office after pleading guilty to entering the US Capitol during the January 6 attack. She was captured smiling while holding a piece of Pelosi’s office sign.
Hernandez is set to return to prison after being sentenced for causing the fatal crash while driving drunk.
