GUILTY PA - Sharon Mulhatten, 71, killed by drunk driver, East Lampeter Twp, 13 March 2014

Patricia J. Halgash, 42, will stand trial on counts of vehicular homicide while DUI, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, and related offenses, according to an announcement Monday by the Lancaster County District Attorney’s office.

Sharon Mulhatten, 71, was killed in the March 3, 2014, accident, and her son, 53-year-old Troy Mulhatten, sustained broken bones and a torn aorta.

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Patricia J. Halgash, 43, of Land-O-Lakes, Florida, was ordered to serve four years and three days to 15 years in a state prison.

A jury found Halgash guilty of homicide by vehicle, homicide by vehicle while DUI, aggravated assault by vehicle, DUI and disregard for traffic lanes in July.

In a nearly 10 minute statement, Halgash continually fought back tears as she said she “failed to make a sound judgment that night” and has struggled to get past the pain of her actions, at one time referring to herself as being in an “emotional prison.”

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Judge Jeffery Wright chastised Halgash for saying that covering her mouth to officers at the scene was something she does when she is nervous and was not done to cover the scent of alcohol on her breath.

In something as nerve-wracking as a homicide trial, Halgash had failed to cover her mouth the entire time, Wright said.

He pointed out how Halgash expected the court to believe that she had not taken prescribed pain medication the day of the accident, when she had refilled the prescription containing 90 pills at least 25 times.

And Wright referred to her behavior following the accident as “callous” when she failed to call police, expecting others to do so, and for not helping more as the Mulhattens lay dying and injured.

“Rarely have I seen conduct more callous than that,” Wright said.

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