PORTLAND, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A woman from Gorham has been sentenced to serve four years in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of manslaughter for a deadly crash last fall.
Candace Tucker was behind the wheel of a car that crossed the center line in Bridgton, striking two trees. Her 16-year-old son and her boyfriend were killed in the crash.
The judge in this case said the focus of the sentence is one of rehabilitation rather than punishment.
"Rehabilitation has to trump punishment at some point and she is going to be punished. She's being punished severely for the loss of these people due to her recklessness and her criminal negligence," said Justice Nancy Mills.
Tucker was originally charged with two counts of manslaughter and two counts of operating under the influence for the crash that killed her son Branden Denis and her boyfriend Eric Morey.
The OUI charges were dropped as part of a plea agreement. Tests showed her blood alcohol level .07, just below the state's legal limit. She also had traces of prescription drugs in her system. Investigators said she was traveling at 85 miles per hour, which is 30 miles above the speed limit, when her vehicle left Route 302 and crashed last October.
"Not all my decisions that day were good and I can only ask for forgiveness. Truly it's not the tragedy that destroy us, but the memories of it. My memory is now held in a life sentence and I will never forget that day," Tucker said while addressing the court.
Tucker will remain on probation for four years after she is released from prison.
