Former reality TV star Melissa Hancock pleads guilty to aggravated DUI manslaughter
Former reality TV star Melissa Hancock has pleaded guilty to her role in a 2017 accident which happened in Virginia Beach and led to the death of a US Coast Guard technician.
The 25-year-old who frequently appeared on the Lifetime TV series, 'Little Women: Atlanta' appeared in court and pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI manslaughter.
Hancock was arrested after she was caught driving drunk the wrong way down Interstate 264 near Oceanfront. According to police, she struck a car head first and killed 29-year-old Daniel Dill, who was a US Coast Guard technician.
At the time of the crash, Dill was on the way to pick up his wife and her friends who were celebrating her birthday.
Daniel's wife Natalie Dill told 11alive, "An Uber costs 5, 10 dollars, a Lyft, there's so many options. This should not be occurring. Ever. Ever. I’m very happy that she pleaded guilty and that she did not make us go through a trial."
With her guilty plea, Hancock faces up to 21 years in prison.
Remembering her husband and her best friend, as reported by Metro, Natalie sobbed as she shared with WUSA9, "We had just recently bought a house. We loved to go out and eat, and go to the movies and do stuff. I just miss him so much. I lost my best friend and my husband."
Family members shared that Dill's injuries were very serious and he succumbed to his injuries the day following the accident.
Daniel's father-in-law, Steven Rocha, spoke to 13newsnow and said, "We want everybody to know what a good man Daniel Dill was and is. What a great son-in-law he was and how much joy he brought to our family."
According to court documents, the four-foot, 100-pound woman had consumed two to four mixed drinks before the accident. She had a BAC (blood alcohol content) of .112 which is a lot more than the legal limit in Virginia which is .08. Hancock was released from the Virginia Beach Jail on a $15,000 bond.
Melissa got drunk at Peabody's Bar on Virginia Beach before she got into the car. She was driving at a speed of 60mph when the crash occurred. It was also revealed that after cops told her of the injuries she had caused Dill, Hancock had the audacity to ask if she could go home.
She will be back in court next week for a bond appeal hearing, according to Kristi Hopkins with the Commonwealth Attorney's office. The office is currently reviewing the case for additional charges.
Rocha told 13newsnow told prosecutors that they will be pursuing a DUI manslaughter charge. "She's just going to have to pay the consequences for that decision. And unfortunately, Daniel paid the consequence for that, too," he said.
As stated by the obituary, Daniel Carl Dill PORTSMOUTH, VA Daniel Carl Dill, 29, U.S. Coast Guard information systems technician 2nd class, passed away on Nov. 5, 2017. Daniel was born in Chester, PA, and lived in Logan Twp., NJ, until after graduating from Kingsway High School in 2006. He joined the USCG in October 2006. He was stationed on the USCG Cutter Bear out of Portsmouth, VA, where he met and married Natalie. Daniel also served on the USCG Cutter Campbell out of Portsmouth, NH, before returning to Portsmouth, VA.
He is survived by his wife, Natalie Rocha Dill; parents, Denise Fullem Dill and Christopher J. Dill; siblings, Kelly Dill Vazquez and husband, Robert; Ryan Dill Hoover and husband, Adam; Christopher Dill Jr. and wife, Melissa; Zachary Dill and wife, Alicia, and grandparents, Marilyn Laurmann Fullem and Lucille Reynolds Dill. Daniel was predeceased by his grandparents, William R. Fullem and Walter R. Dill.