By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES - A 25-year-old woman charged with two counts of operating while intoxicated and causing death was sentenced Monday. Amanda Christenson of Granger will serve a minimum of four years. Christenson plead guilty on the two charges of vehicular homicide in exchange for a 48-month cap on her minimum sentence.
The charges stem from a Nov. 23, 2005, accident when Christenson drove her car into the back of a Suzuki sport utility vehicle occupied by Donna Lutin and Michael King, both 52 and from Niles. The SUV then ran into the back of a pickup truck driven by 51-year-old Mark Wayne Steven, also of Niles.
Steven was treated and released at Lakeland-Niles following the accident. Lutin and King were both killed.
Berrien County Assistant Prosecutor Jeff Rhoa said Christenson expressed remorse to the victim's family.
In return, the family asked Rhoa to read a one-and-a-half page prepared statement, which said, among other things, the drunk driving laws were too lenient and that no sentence, no matter the length, would be fair.
Rhoa also said the sentence did not come as a surprise to many.
Christenson had her $100,000 bond revoked more than a month ago and has since been lodged in the Berrien County jail.
Rhoa said Christenson received a 46 day credit on her sentence from Fifth District Judge Gary J. Bruce.