An Owego woman was in court yesterday answering to charges of first degree vehicular manslaughter and DWI. 20-year-old Kari Bensley entered a guilty plea yesterday in Tioga County Court. Bensley was the driver of the SUV that crashed on Montrose Turnpike in Owego last August, killing 18-year-old Viviana Peña and 23-year-old David Ammerman. Bensley admitted in court yesterday that the three had been at a party and were drinking. She stated that the vehicle crashed when going around a sharp curve.
In court, the prosecutor offered Bensley a plea deal, offering one to three years in prison in exchange for a guilty plea to first degree vehicular manslaughter and DWI. Bensley did plead guilty, but opted to have the judge decide her sentence.
Many friends and family members were on hand at the courthouse representing the victims. They felt that the sentence offered was too short. Bensley will be sentenced on February 4th. The judge says he’ll allow both victims’ families an opportunity to weigh-in with what they believe would be a fair sentence before he makes his decision.
