Shocking Stephanie Melgoza video shows her smiling moments after killing two victims in Illinois drink-drive crash

SHOCKING footage has emerged of a woman laughing and joking after she killed two people in a drink-drive crash.

Former Bradley student Stephanie Melgoza, was sentenced to 14 years in prison on Thursday.

4

The 24-year-old from Illinois hit and killed a couple from Lorain County last April as they crossed the street outside a bar in East Peoria.

Melgoza pleaded guilty to two counts each of aggravated DUI and aggravated reckless driving.

Paul Prowant, 55, of Avon Lake, and 43-year-old Andrea Rosewicz of Avon were hit by Melgoza’s red Dodge Dart just after 10pm.

She must serve at least 85 percent of her sentence and according to the Pekin Daily Times, she told the court: “I’m so sorry for everything, and I will never, ever commit anything like that again.

“I have not drank since that day. I do not plan on drinking ever again. I want to try to do something positive to make a difference, speak out about this and warn others about the dangers that come with drinking.”

Bodycam footage from the scene has been shared on YouTube by the Law & Crime Network.

It shows Melgoza clearly intoxicated admitting to the officer that she had three drinks of vodka and water and that her purse contained cannabis which she claimed she had not yet used.

She was found to be three times over the legal alcohol limit and failed all other sobriety tests given to her by East Peoria officers.

Officer Jeffrey Bieber told the court that she admitted to hitting the pair and that she had watery eyes, slurred speech, and a strong smell of alcohol on her breath.

According to court documents, she was speeding roughly 10 miles over the speed limit and an open bottle of vodka and cannabis was found in her vehicle.

Despite her clear drunkenness, she told the officer at the scene: “I am aware of everything…If you tested me now, don’t test me, but I think I would pass.”

When she was tested for alcohol intoxication, she failed all tests and laughed the whole way through.

After the exercises, officers used a breathalyzer and Melgoza laughed just before the test was taken.

She was then placed under arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.

While sitting in the back of the police car, the officer returned to tell her the tragic news about the couple she hit.

“First off, I’m gonna let you know, you did hit two people.”

She immediately slurred: “I did not,” something she repeated a number of times throughout the 26-minute footage.

The officer continued: “There are two people struck by your vehicle and both are dead.

“They were both deceased on scene. I’m just telling you that information okay.”

As she continued to deny hitting the couple, Melgoza claimed that if she had she’d “be crying.”

In the emergency room she then incoherently talked about going to Las Vegas for her birthday in two months’ time and said: “I’m gonna start off with two Long Islands.”

She then laughed and joked about being “mad” at the officer if he was Snapchatting someone and not including her.

Melgoza added that she would have “such a busy day tomorrow” with lots of questions on Snapchat that she would not have time to answer and that she would be “at home.”

She then started singing and dancing while the officer started filling out the paperwork.

Things then came to a head after the frustrated police officer became fed-up with her “carelessness” about killing two people.

She asked the officer when she would get her car back to go to school the following day to which he replied: “You don’t.”

He continued: “You want me to be honest with you, you’re going to jail, you don’t have a bond.

“You killed two people tonight. I don’t think you understand that.

“You do not have a bond, you are not getting out of jail. Your car is the property of the East Peoria Police Department because it’s a crime scene. It killed two people tonight.

“You are clueless with that clearly. You’re going to jail for reckless homicide tonight.

“You’re going to jail for aggravated DUI for killing two people that’s what’s going on. So no, you’re not going to school tomorrow.”

Unbelievably, she then asked if this included missing her night class on Tuesday.

The officer said: “Did you just hear what I told you? Your own body is completely careless about killing two people.

“You couldn’t care less that’s sad and pathetic and horrible all at the same time.”

She was due to graduate four weeks after the crash and to go to Las Vegas for her birthday, which she still believed even after the office spoke to her.

Rosewicz’s sister, Sherri Hutchinson pleaded with the court to impose the maximum sentence, of 28 years telling Melgoza: “You have destroyed multiple families with your selfishness.”

The judge concluded after passing the 14-year sentence: “I don’t expect this sentence to please anyone, but it is most just,” 

4

4