A YOUNG woman danced, sang, and asked an outraged cop a series of ridiculous questions after killing two people in a drunken crash, video footage reveals.
Stephanie Melgoza, 24, pleaded guilty to four felonies and was sentenced last week to 14 years in prison for the wreck in Illinois.
8
8
8
Police raced to the scene outside a bar in East Peoria on April 10, 2022, and found Paul Prowant, 55, and his girlfriend, Andrea Rosewicz, 43, with fatal injuries.
Melgoza, meanwhile, was uninjured and smiled and laughed at officers despite being informed of the sobering circumstances, bodycam footage reveals.
The Illinois woman was going roughly 10mph over the speed limit and an open handle of vodka and cannabis was discovered in her vehicle, according to court documents.
A breathalyzer test found that her blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal amount.
read more sun stories
The former Bradley University student and the victims were taken to the hospital, where Melgoza entertained herself by singing and dancing and peppering an officer with questions about whether she would miss class.
After walking into the medical center, she told the cop about an upcoming trip to Las Vegas, where she planned to "spend at least $500" and "start off with two Long Islands."
She then started laughing as the officer asked her: "You haven't had enough of drinking already?"
The cop then began using his cellphone and she said: "I swear to God if you're Snapchatting right now and I'm not, I'm going to be mad."
Most read in The US Sun
In another part of the bodycam footage, Melgoza is seen laying on a hospital bed, mumbling about how she "isn't going to answer anyone's Snapchat or questions."
"OK, you're being too quiet so I'm going to start singing because I hate quiet," she told the officer before breaking out in song.
She then turned her attention to her car and asked the cop when she could get it back, as she had class the following day.
"Hey, you never answered me about my car. I have school tomorrow so how do I get my car?" she said.
The officer told the young woman that her red Dodge Dart - which reportedly had a severed leg sticking out of the grill after the crash - was totaled and that she would be taken to jail without bond in the morning.
"I don't go to school tomorrow is what you're telling me?" she asked in a clip obtained by Law & Crime.
"You're going to jail ... you killed two people tonight," the cop said curtly.
"Your car is property of the East Peoria Police Department because it is a crime scene.
"You are clueless with that clearly. I've already explained this to you."
Melgoza then asked if she'd be able to attend an upcoming night class, further aggravating the officer.
"I'm just wondering when I can go to school," she said.
The angered officer finally cut her off and, after a moment of silence, told the DUI driver that her behavior was "sad and pathetic."
"You're on body camera being completely careless about killing two people tonight. You could care less. That's sad and pathetic and horrible, all at the same time," he said.
"Can you say that as a cop?" she asked while laying back on the hospital bed.
"Yes ma'am, I can," he responded.
Outraged onlookers slammed her apparent lack of remorse and said they couldn't believe she would not spend more time behind bars.
On April 27, Melgoza was sentenced to 14 years in prison after she pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated DUI and two counts of aggravated reckless driving.
The former student faced up to 28 years in prison for her charges.
"The fact that she only received 14 years for killing two people is ridiculous. My heart goes out to the family of the victims," someone commented on the bodycam video.
"Lost my mum and stepdad in an accident similar to this, her attitude is unbelievable," another said.
Despite her antics immediately following the crash, Melgoza gave an emotional statement in court where she expressed deep regret for getting behind the wheel after drinking.
"I'm so sorry for everything, and I will never, ever commit anything like that again," she said, per Gannett affiliate Pekin Daily Times.
"I do not plan on drinking ever again. I want to try to do something positive to make a difference, speak out about this, and warn others about the dangers that come with drinking."
In an impact statement, the family of Rosewicz countered that there was nothing left to say in the aftermath of the tragedy.
"There are no words that can even remotely come close to inflicting the pain and suffering on you... that you have inflicted on me, our families, and Andrea's friends," Rosewicz's sister Sherri Hutchison said.
Read More on The US Sun
"The magnitude is unimaginable."
8
8
8
8
8
