Jailtime for Mother in Deadly Bryn Mawr Crash

A Lower Merion woman pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Montgomery County court Tuesday afternoon related to the August 2013 crash in Bryn Mawr that killed a 72-year-old flower delivery van driver.

Meredith Williams-Earle, 32, will spend nine to 23 months in county prison following a sentencing from Judge William Carpenter, according to Philly.com. The former Spanish teacher at Interboro High School will be imprisoned on Friday, pregnant with her third child.

Carpenter also ordered three years of probation and 100 hours of community service for Williams-Earle after her prison sentence is finished, according to the Delaware County Daily Times.

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s office originally charged Williams-Earle with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, homicide by vehicle and related counts following the Aug. 6, 2013 crash. According to court documents, Williams-Earle was driving her two-year-old son to day care when she drove past a stop sign at the intersection of Spring Mill Road and Morris Avenue in Bryn Mawr.

She collided into the side of a Valley Forge Flower Company van driven by 72-year-old Winston Staats, of Conshohocken. Staats was pronounced dead at the scene, while Williams-Earle and her son escaped with minor injuries.

A blood test at the hospital showed that Williams-Earle’s blood alcohol content was above the legal limit. During her jury trial in March, Philly.com reports, prosecutors said Williams-Earle also took a sedative and drank some champagne before leaving the house with a cup filled with whiskey and soda.

The jury found Williams-Earle guilty of DUI and reckless endangerment, but acquitted her of DUi homicide and was deadlocked over the homicide by vehicle charge, according to the Delco Times. The DA’s office offered the reduced charge on involuntary manslaughter Tuesday to avoid going through a retrial.

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