Man Sentenced to 6½ Years for DUI Fatality

By Marianne Madden

Published on December 06, 2006

On March 13, 2005, Omari, who was on probation and had a suspended license after a previous DUI, had a blood-alcohol concentration of 0.18 when he drove the wrong way down the exit ramp of Interstate 5 in King County, entered against traffic, crossed five lands of traffic, and hit Meadows’ car head-on. Meadows was killed at the scene, while her passenger and friend, Eric Gray, was injured.

Omari was sentenced to 54 months in prison for the vehicular homicide of Meadows, and 24 months for being on probation at the time of the crime. He was also charged with the vehicular assault of Eric Gray and driving with a suspended license, though those punishments run at the same time as his total sentence.

Under the state’s sentencing guidelines, Omari was given the maximum penalty. However, Heather’s mother, Leah Meadows, maintained that the time is “just not enough” to make up for taking her daughter away. Amy Freedheim, the prosecuting attorney, expressed satisfaction that Omari was sentenced to the maximum time allowed under law, but said that the case called for a more severe sentence.

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