Florida Woman Sentenced to 45 Years for Deadly DUI Crash

By Marianne Madden

Published on November 14, 2006

Beverly Grimditch, 51, was sentenced to 30 years in state prison for fleeing police, 15 years for DUI manslaughter, and 15 years for a probation violation. The first two sentences will be served concurrently, for a total of 45 years.

On Monday, Grimditch made her first public comments since the accident, which took the life of William Christopher Villar. Grimditch was evading the police on June 15 when her car struck a curb and was sent airborne before crashing through the roof of the Villar home. Villar was crushed as he lay in bed.

Grimditch has a history of similar accidents. In 2005, she received a probationary sentence after driving drunk and evading police in Walton County. In light of the most recent accident, Circuit Judge Kevin Wells revoked her probation.

Grimditch’s blood alcohol level was 0.166 at the time of the accident, and she had the prescription painkillers Fioricet and Darvon in her system.

At the trial, family and friends of Villar took to the stand and described his kindness and close relationship with his family.

Grimditch’s attorney, Tim Weaver, brought in a psychologist who testified that Grimditch was abused as a child and that this led to a lifetime of mental problems, including suicide attempts and several psychiatric hospitalizations.

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