# Woman Sentenced for Fatal Wheelchair Collision

> 23-year-old woman gets 1-year jail for drunk driving fatality in Michigan.
- Title: Woman Sentenced for Fatal Wheelchair Collision · Law & Crime
- Summary: 23-year-old woman gets 1-year jail for drunk driving fatality in Michigan. Areli Beraza Vilchis sentenced to 365 days in jail for fatally striking…
- Keywords: michigan, wheelchair, drunk driving, fatal collision, sentencing, robert murray, areli beraza vilchis, law and crime, Law & Crime
- Source: Law & Crime — https://lawandcrime.com/crime/woman-who-fatally-struck-79-year-old-man-in-wheelchair-crossing-street-to-buy-beer-is-sentenced
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: michigan, wheelchair, drunk driving, fatal collision, sentencing, robert murray, areli beraza vilchis, law and crime, crime, news
## Sentence Details
A 23-year-old woman in Michigan will spend a year behind bars for fatally striking a 79-year-old man in a wheelchair while driving drunk and then fleeing the scene.
## Incident Timeline
Vilchis drove east on East Huron Street just before midnight on May 5, 2026, when Murray was crossing the street in his wheelchair.
## Collision Details
The traffic signal changed and Vilchis struck Murray with her car before fleeing the scene.
## Emergency Response
Emergency medical personnel treated Murray at the scene before transporting him to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
## Turned In
Vilchis turned herself in to authorities the next day, claiming she was unaware she had struck a person.
## Victim Impact
Murray's widow called him her 'best friend' and urged Vilchis to reconsider her actions before leaving the establishment.
## Court Apology
Vilchis apologized to Murray's family, saying she would live with 'guilt, sadness and remorse' for killing a person.
## Sentencing
Judge Carol Kuhnke sentenced Vilchis to 365 days in jail for one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing death.
## Probation
Vilchis is scheduled for release on November 6, 2029, with two years of probation.
## Judge's Comment
The judge was skeptical of Vilchis' claim she didn't know she struck a person but credited her turning herself in.
## Key takeaway

Areli Beraza Vilchis sentenced to 365 days in jail for fatally striking 79-year-old Robert Murray in wheelchair while drunk.