The Umansky Law Firm

A 52-year-old Ocala, Florida woman, who supplied a bottle of vodka and half keg of beer to a teen party on New Year's Eve, was sentenced to ten days in jail on Tuesday. This stems from a serious head injury a 19-year-old received when a fight broke out at the party.

She was charged with providing alcohol to minors, a second degree misdemeanor, and pleaded no contest with no plea bargain set in place. As a result, sentencing was left up to the judge. The defendant was given ten days in county jail, six months of probation, 200 hours of community service, and ordered to attend a Victim Impact Panel. She was also admonished by the judge for acting like "one of the gang" instead of a mother.

The defendant gave the alcohol to the teens, as well as drove her 16-year-old daughter and some of her friends to the party. A fight broke out, in which a 19-year-old latched himself onto a car leaving the party. He fell when the car was traveling between ten and 20 mph, hitting his head on the pavement. After this incident, the teen was driven back to the defendant's house and placed in a bathtub when he appeared unconscious and was vomiting.

Those with him suspected it was alcohol poisoning. The defendant said she wanted to call an ambulance for him, but waited 15 minutes to do so. He was then airlifted to Shands at the University of Florida. His father, who spoke at the defendant's hearing, told the judge his son suffered a fractured skull and bruises around his head.

Although she earned high praise from character witnesses, the defendant offered in court that this was not the first time she had given alcohol to teens. The judge said that, although all parties involved, including the injured teen had some level of responsibility in this incident, the defendant "set the events in motion."

If you have been charged with a crime in the Orange County or Orlando, Florida area, or anywhere else in the state of Florida, please contact the experienced criminal defense attorneys at the Umansky Law Firm today.