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NILES — Two area women were sentenced for drunk driving offenses Monday in Berrien County Trial Court.

Savannah Marie Fitzgerald, 32, of Niles, pleaded guilty to third offense drunk driving and was sentenced to two years probation, 45 days in jail with credit for two days served, 480 hours of community service, 180 days tether and $1,638 in fines and costs.

The incident occurred Oct. 16 in Niles Township. Fitzgerald was passing people, speeding and going into the center lane to pass other cars. Her blood alcohol level was .21, more than twice the legal limit.

Judge Smith said that while Fitzgerald has no other criminal record besides two previous drunk driving convictions, she would have hoped Fitzgerald would have learned after the 2020 arrest. “One of your coping mechanisms is drinking and it doesn’t work for you,” she said. “Here you engaged in risky driving with your daughter in the car.”

Alexis Eli-Renee Mix, 22, of Buchanan, pleaded guilty to second offense drunk driving with an occupant under 16 and was sentenced to two years probation, 75 days in jail with credit for 31 days served, 90 days tether, 480 hours of community service and $1,438 in fines and costs.

She also pleaded guilty to disturbing the peace and contempt of court charges and was sentenced to credit for 28 days served on the disturbing the peace charge, credit for 26 days served for two other contempt charges and 45 days in jail with credit for 26 days served on a third contempt.

The drunk driving incident occurred Oct. 7, 2023 in Niles Township, while the disturbing the peace incident occurred June 18, 2023 in Niles.

Defense attorney Kevin Mackin said Mix had lost control of her life at the time of the incidents and is not working to get help. “This is a person who needs rehabilitation,” he said. “At age 22, she has 60 years of life left. It took her longer than most to realize the consequences of her actions but I think there’s hope for her to get her life together.

Judge Smith said she was concerned that Mix was out on bond for the disturbing the peace incident when the drunk driving incident occurred. “You drove drunk with kids in your car,” she said. “Your life is spiraling out of control. Imagine what would happen if you killed one of your children while you were driving drunk. You have to start thinking about someone else besides Alexis.”

In other sentencings:

• Joshua Robert Greulich, 44, of Niles, pleaded guilty to resisting and obstructing police and was sentenced to two years probation, credit for 39 days served, 90 days tether and $598 in fines and costs. The incident occurred Aug. 25, 2023 in Niles Township.
• Latoya Renee Jackson, 46, of Niles, pleaded guilty to arson $200 to $1,000 and was sentenced to two years probation, credit for 59 days served and $525 in fines and costs. The incident occurred Sept. 2 in Niles.