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Key West woman blames fatal crash on God and Xanax


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https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/florida-keys/article218575945.html

 

"Defense attorneys will argue this week that Thomason was suffering from a mental disease recognized by the American Psychiatric Association as Severe Anxiolytic Withdrawal Syndrome, according to a clinical psychologist hired by the defense."

 

Edit:

“While in this state she was psychotic and delusional,” Dr. Frederick Covan wrote in a 2017 follow-up to his evaluation of Thomason. “She could not appreciate the wrongfulness of her actions. She was legally insane.”

 

 

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"November 14, 2018 Florida Keys Free Press lower keys news Thomason: 32 years in prison TREE OF KNOWLEDGE BY ALEX WILSON Free Press Staff KEY WEST April Thomason, the woman who was convicted of manslaughter after she drove onto a sidewalk in Key West and killed a Cudjoe Key woman, was sentenced to 32 years in prison and 10 years of probation last week. Monroe County Circuit Court Judge Luis Garcia sentenced Thomason, who was previously convicted on charges of vehicular manslaughter, two counts of attempted manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crime and assault. Thomason, 46, will be 78 years old if she serves her full sentence and 88 years old when she gets off probation. According to Assistant State Attorney Colleen Dunne, Thomason is also ordered to pay the Key West Police Department $1,600 for the costs of the investigation. She will also have to pay $50, to the State Attorney s Office for the costs of prosecution. Dunne said that sentencing drew a relatively large crowd to the courtroom, with victims, friends and family there in a show of support in the memory of Stephanie Collins. Thomason s mother also attended the sentencing. Unfortunately, Ms. Collins mom and stepfather and brother were not able to attend, but they were listening over the phone, Dunne said. In addition to the fines and time served, Thomason has been ordered to get both a mental and substance abuse evaluation, and she will be prohibited from driving during the entirety of her probation. Following the delivery of the sentencing, Dunne said there was a visual reaction from those in attendance. Those that were in the courtroom, you could see they had a sigh of relief when they heard the verdict, she said. A number of people spoke during the sentencing, including Ian McNab, one of the victims. Thomason, who declined to testify during her trial, also spoke, apologizing for her actions. However, Garcia still took a moment to let the courtroom know how the court viewed the case as a whole. Although Ms. Thomason did express her sympathy to the family and friends, it was clear, as the court also pointed out, this tragedy was all within her power and control to have been avoided, Garcia said. She voluntarily created the danger which ultimately took the life of one and endangered the others, and there is no amount of sympathy or apologies that can ever change that. On Sept. 16, 2015, Thomason drove onto the sidewalk on South Roosevelt Boulevard, where she struck and killed Collins. The two additional attempted manslaughter charges stem from McNab and Jorge Canedo. McNab, a friend of Collins who was walking with her, was almost hit in the same manner as she was, but he was able to jump out of the way. Canedo was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk when he saw Thomason speeding toward him. Canedo testified that Thomason matched his movements, tracking him as he tried to evade the vehicle. The trial saw Thomason s attorney defending Thomason s actions by saying she was suffering from severe anxiolytic withdrawal syndrome, which stemmed from her sudden cessation of taking her prescribed Xanax. The trial also included a number of experts and witnesses who were called to the stand, as well as video recordings of Thomason shortly after her arrest. The videos and written statements from Thomason had seemingly contradicted each other. At times, Thomason remembered the events of the day clearly, while in others she claimed to have no memory of them. In the end, it took the jury less than two hours to return a unanimous guilty verdict on all counts."

 

http://docplayer.net/102123457-Wednesday-november-14-2018-volume-31-n-pages.html

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Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand it is encouraging that someone out there is recognizing that there is a such thing as "severe anxiolytic withdrawal syndrome" (a clinical psychologist testified in court to this?) but on the other hand despite whether or not it played any role in this it probably sounds like the worlds worst excuse for running someone over with your car.

 

I would love to read the transcripts of this trial.

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Not sure how I feel about this. On one hand it is encouraging that someone out there is recognizing that there is a such thing as "severe anxiolytic withdrawal syndrome" (a clinical psychologist testified in court to this?) but on the other hand despite whether or not it played any role in this it probably sounds like the worlds worst excuse for running someone over with your car.

 

I would love to read the transcripts of this trial.

 

I'm inclined to agree with your statements. Also, this is only the criminal side of this case. I'm almost certain a civil side with additional litigation and evidence has or will be brought. Who knows who all will be named in civil proceedings for damages. If you see anything further on this, I hope you will post it up.

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