A South Carolina woman who admitted to killing 17-year-old identical twins and their friend in a wrong-way crash while joyriding in a stolen Hummer while high on THC gummies and Adderall will spend decades in prison.
Melissa Ann Parker, 46, was sentenced on Monday to 25 years in prison and was ordered to pay a $25,100 fine in the deaths of twins Elleana Lee Gaddis and Isabella Lee Gaddis, as well as Brianna Lynn Foster, 18. A fourth teen survived the wreck. Parker was sentenced after she pleaded guilty to charges including DUI resulting in death, assault and battery, grand larceny, and hit-and-run.
“This never should have happened — taking drugs and driving is the same as drinking and driving,” 7th Circuit Court Solicitor Barry Barnette said in a statement, The Greenville News reported. “In this case, Parker’s decision to mix THC gummies with Adderall and then get behind the wheel of a stolen car led to an absolute nightmare situation and the death of three young women.”
The newspaper reported that Parker’s attorney, Andrew Johnston, said in a statement: “On the night of this tragedy, Melissa had a psychotic episode and tried to self-treat with THC gummies. She lost touch with reality and believed she had to run for her life in a stolen vehicle. In her panic, she drove onto the Interstate the wrong way. Three young girls died as a result. Melissa accepted full responsibility for her actions. We believe the sentence was appropriate both for the harm she inflicted and the rare circumstances of this case.”