Oct 8, 2008 7:02 pm US/Eastern
Jockey's Daughter Convicted For Fatal DWI Wreck
LEVITTOWN, N.Y. (CBS) ―
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Sophia Santos, 20, daughter of world-famous jockey Jose A. Santos, was sentenced after her drunk driving accident killed a 62-year-old grandmother.
CBS
The daughter of a Hall of Fame jockey will spend the next three to nine years in prison after killing a woman in a drunk driving crash. The victims' families were not happy with the sentence.
"It's not enough, really. Nothing's gonna bring my wife back. But nothing's enough," said accident victim John Urgo.
Killed in the accident was 62-year-old Virginia Casazza-Urgo. One of three injured in the crash, her sister, Linda Chapman, is severely disabled. "Oh, I'm much better. I'm stronger," she said.
Her husband, Edward Chapman, agrees. "The woman in that wheelchair is ten times better than she was in a coma and dying."
Sentenced was 21-year-old Sophia Santos of Albertson, New York. The sentencing stemmed from a late night crash in Levittown 11 months ago.
Santos drove her Mercedes through a red light, plowing into a car. She had no driver's license and a blood alcohol level three times the legal limit. She pleaded guilty last month. On Wednesday, Santos tearfully told the victims' families: "I understand how much grief I've caused you. I wish there were something i could do to make up for it. I wish I could bring back your loved one. I'm very sorry."
Santos is the daughter of famed jockey Jose Santos who won the Kentucky Derby in 2003. He said his daughter is remorseful.
"Like I say, she didn't get up that day thinking she was going to kill somebody," he said.
Seven family members spoke to the court before the sentencing. "Nobody's a winner. Our family is shattered and her family is shattered," said Gina Pedroli, a relative of the victims.
At the time of the crash, Santos had listed on her MySpace web page, under general interest, whiskey, at the top of the list.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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