Woman gets five years probation for fatal DWI accident

BADEN, Mo. -- A woman was sentenced to five years of probation on Friday after admitting to driving while intoxicated in a 2020 crash that killed two passengers. Evelyn Wiley, 63, received a suspended seven-year prison sentence, meaning she could face prison time if she violates probation.

Wiley pleaded guilty to one count of driving while intoxicated, resulting in the deaths of two or more people. The incident occurred at around 6 p.m. on March 7, 2020, when Wiley, under the influence of alcohol, turned left into the path of a pickup truck at Riverview Drive and Scranton Avenue. The crash resulted in the deaths of two of her passengers, Odessa Draper, 73, and Joseph Harris, 1. Two other children in the vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Wiley's blood-alcohol content was measured at 0.139 percent, nearly twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Missouri. The judge suspended the prison sentence in favor of probation after she accepted the prosecutors' plea deal. Wiley's probation conditions include staying sober, attending a victim impact panel course, compl...