DUI car crash and legal issues

On June 27, 2010, at 9:05 pm, Locane was involved in a fatal motor vehicle collision in Montgomery, New Jersey.^[11][12] Locane was driving 53 miles per hour (85 km/h) in a 35-mile-per-hour (56 km/h) zone and rapidly closed on the car driven by Fred Seeman, which was traveling at 3 miles per hour (4.8 km/h) as it made a left-hand turn in front of her to enter his driveway. The crash killed Seeman's wife, 60-year-old Helen.^[12]

Following the crash, testing revealed Locane's blood alcohol level was .23 percent, nearly three times the limit for legal impairment.^[13] In December 2010, Locane was indicted for aggravated manslaughter and assault by automobile.^[8] On November 27, 2012, a Somerset County jury convicted Locane of vehicular homicide and assault by auto.^[13] On February 14, 2013, she was sentenced to three years in prison for the crime, with Montgomery Superior Court Judge Robert B. Reed imposing less than the minimum five-year sentence due to mitigating factors that included consideration of her children's welfare.^[14][15][16] Locane served her sentence at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women and was released on parole on June 12, 2015.^[17] Late in 2015 following Locane's release from prison, her husband filed for divorce and for custody of their two daughters.^[18]

On July 22, 2016, a New Jersey appeals court ruled that the three-year sentencing would be re-reviewed due to what the court felt was an inadequate explanation by Reed for leniency.^[19] Upon review, Reed stated in September 2016 that he had erred in his decision and that she should serve an additional six months.^[16] On January 13, 2017, however, Reed ruled Locane would not have to go back to prison, saying her conduct since her release indicated she was not a threat to society.^[20] Speaking later about the crash and victims, Locane said the memory of Helen Seeman will "be forever in her thoughts."^[21] In February 2019, Locane was re-sentenced to five years behind bars but remained free on bail pending an appeal.^[22]

On July 22, 2020, an appeals court ruled that a different judge incorrectly re-sentenced Locane in 2019 and sent the case back for another sentencing. The ruling issued also rejected Locane's argument that sentencing her again violates double jeopardy protections since she had already completed her sentence and parole term.

On September 17, 2020, Locane was sentenced to eight years in New Jersey state prison after a judge agreed with prosecutors that Locane's initial sentence was too lenient. New Jersey state law requires Locane to serve more than six years before being eligible for parole.^{[23] [24]} In 2022, Locane lost a federal appeal to have her state prison sentence cut.^[25] She is currently incarcerated at Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women.^[26]

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