10 Years For Drunken Driving Crash That Killed Aurora Woman

CENTENNIAL, CO – An Aurora man was sentenced to prison in Arapahoe County District Court for driving drunk without a license and killing a woman passenger in his car in a 2016 wreck.

Arapahoe County District Judge Andrew Baum on Friday sentenced Maurice Palmer, 32, to 10 years in the Department of Corrections for the death of mother Ananiece Foshee, who was 28, the Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office said.

On April 26, 2018, Palmer pleaded guilty to one count of vehicular homicide-DUI in Foshee’s death. Lesser charges were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

On July 2, 2016, Palmer and Foshee were at a bowling alley in Aurora. During the evening, Palmer smoked marijuana and drank alcohol, an arrest affidavit said. The video showed the pair walking to Palmer’s black Ford Explorer in the parking lot, where, after a discussion, Palmer got into the driver's seat, the affidavit said. Palmer's driver’s license had been revoked in 2014 because of his status as a "habitual traffic offender."

The Explorer hit a light pole shortly thereafter at the intersection of South Chambers Road and East Crestline Avenue. Both Palmer and Foshee were ejected from the car and Foshee's leg was severed in the accident. Palmer was treated at a hospital, and Foshee died.

Palmer told police Foshee was driving. The evidence and video told a different story, prosecutors said in court.

The crash-data recorder from the Explorer showed the SUV was travelling at 80 mph in a 40-mph zone when it hit the light pole. Palmer's blood-alcohol content, measured via blood sample, tested at 0.133 BAC more than the legal driving limit of .08 BAC.

Several friends and family of Foshee made statements during the hearing, the District Attorney's office said.

“I have had to endure two years of fighting for the right thing,” said Foshee’s mother. “When you don’t do the right thing, you have to endure the consequences.”

“I would like for you to consider that we have been waiting 2 years to lock him up,” Foshee’s uncle told the judge. “We are dealing with a murderer and a killer. He certainly murdered (Ananiece). … Hold him accountable and lock him up.”

“Another life lost due to the selfish decision-making of a drunk driver. There is no mystery to ending drunk driving fatalities immediately: Do not drive if you have been drinking or ingesting intoxicating substances,” said District Attorney George Brauchler in a statement.

“It appears a very bright light was extinguished because of your choices,” Judge Baum told Palmer. “This is made all the more serious by the aggravating factors … I keep going back to how fast you were going and how intoxicated you were. You smoked pot, drank four shots and still thought it was OK to get behind the wheel.”

Image via Arapahoe County District Attorney's Office

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