Stephanie Melgoza: Bodycam video shows woman laughing before being arrested for killing two in DUI crash
TAZEWELL COUNTY, ILLINOIS: A shocking video has surfaced of a woman laughing after causing a fatal car accident while under the influence of alcohol. Stephanie Melgoza, a former Bradley student, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Thursday, April 27, for killing Paul Prowant, 55, of Avon Lake, and Andrea Rosewicz, 43, of Avon.
In April 2022, Melgoza struck and killed the couple from Lorain County outside a bar in East Peoria while they were crossing the street. The couple was hit by Melgoza's red Dodge Dart a little after 10 pm. Melgoza later pleaded guilty to two counts each of aggravated DUI and aggravated reckless driving.
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'I do not plan on drinking ever again'
Melgoza must serve at least 85 per cent of her sentence and she told the court, "I'm so sorry for everything, and I will never, ever commit anything like that again," according to the Pekin Daily Times. "I have not drunk since that day. 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," Melgoza said.
What does the bodycam footage show?
Bodycam footage of the incident was shared on YouTube, which shows Melgoza clearly intoxicated and admitted to the officer that she had consumed three drinks of vodka. She also stated that her purse contained cannabis which she claimed she had not yet used. Upon further investigation, she was found to be three times over the legal alcohol limit and failed all other sobriety tests given by East Peoria officers.
During the trial, Officer Jeffrey Bieber testified that Melgoza confessed to hitting the couple and displayed signs of intoxication such as watery eyes, slurred speech, and the smell of alcohol in her breath. In addition, court documents revealed that Melgoza was driving approximately 10 miles over the speed limit, and police found an open bottle of vodka and cannabis in her car. She told the officer at the scene, "I am aware of everything. If you tested me now, don't test me, but I think I would pass."
Stephanie Melgoza laughed during sobriety tests
During the sobriety tests, Melgoza reportedly laughed throughout the entire process. When officers administered a breathalyzer test, she laughed just before taking it. She was subsequently arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol. While sitting in the back of the police car, an officer informed her of the tragic news about the couple she had hit, "First off, I'm gonna let you know, you did hit two people."
Melgoza repeatedly denied that she had hit anyone, slurring the words "I did not" multiple times throughout the 26-minute bodycam footage. The officer continued, "There are two people struck by your vehicle and both are dead. They were both deceased on the scene. I'm just telling you that information okay."
Despite Melgoza's denials of hitting the couple, she said that if she had, she would be crying. In the emergency room, she talked incoherently about going to Las Vegas for her upcoming birthday and drinking two Long Islands. She also joked about being angry at the officer if he was Snapchatting and not including her. She mentioned having a busy day ahead of her and not being able to answer all the Snapchat questions. As the officer started filling out the paperwork, Melgoza began to sing and dance. The officer reportedly became frustrated with her lack of remorse about causing the deaths of two people.
'You killed two people tonight'
Melgoza asked the officer when she would get her car back to o to school, to which he replied, "You don't." He continued, "You want me to be honest with you, you're going to jail, you don't have a bond. You killed two people tonight. I don't think you understand that. You do not have a bond, you are not getting out of jail. Your car is the property of the East Peoria Police Department because it's a crime scene. It killed two people tonight. You are clueless about that clearly. You're going to jail for reckless homicide tonight. You're going to jail for aggravated DUI for killing two people that's what's going on. So no, you're not going to school tomorrow."
The judge said after passing the 14-year sentence, "I don't expect this sentence to please anyone, but it is most just."