Chesco woman sentenced for fatal Blue Route crash
A Chester County woman who drove drunk the wrong way on the Blue Route, killing a Massachusetts grandmother in 2008, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to five to 10 years in prison.
A Chester County woman who drove drunk the wrong way on the Blue Route, killing a Massachusetts grandmother in 2008, pleaded guilty and was sentenced today to five to 10 years in prison.
Roisin O'Neill, 24, of Willistown Township, sobbed as she apologized to the family of Patricia Murphy Waggoner.
"I have spent a lot of time thinking how I could have allowed such a tragedy to occur at my hand," O'Neill said.
On Sept. 18, 2008, O'Neill and some friends were at Brownies 23 East in Ardmore. At some point, she became separated from her companions and decided to drive her 2006 Ford Escape home.
O'Neill, who had a blood-alcohol level of more than double the legal limit, drove more than three miles before colliding with the Mazda driven by Waggoner, prosecutors said.
She was charged with homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, and related crimes.
In addition to the prison sentence, O'Neill will have to serve four years' probation, perform 250 hours of community service, and pay more than $21,000 in restitution.
She was given credit for 42 days in jail and 35 hours of community service. In May, she began serving weekends in jail after violating conditions of her bail while on house arrest.
O'Neill is the third member of her family to face criminal charges in the last three years.
Last month, her father, Sean O'Neill Sr., 49, received an 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to three counts of immigration fraud, one count of illegal possession of a firearm silencer without a serial number, and one count of conspiracy to commit tax fraud.
He agreed to return to Northern Ireland after he completes his sentence.
In September 2006, her brother, Sean O'Neill Jr., then 17, accidentally shot and killed a Cardinal O'Hara High School classmate, Scott Sheridan, during an underage drinking party at the O'Neill house. He completed two juvenile treatment programs in March.
Contact staff writer Mari A. Schaefer at 610-892-9149 or mschaefer@phillynews.com.