DUI Driver Who Maimed Principal Shows Up Late To Court, Judge Calls Off Plea Deal

Marilyn Aguilera, who plowed into a South Dade High principal while driving under the influence, said she had been prepared to accept the four-year sentence plea deal presented by prosecutors.

However, on Friday, she arrived hours late for her hearing. When questioned by the judge, she began crying, and asked about being released from prison early. The judge, who was not willing to put up with her behavior, instructed her to “act like a grownup.”

When it seemed like the 52-year-old was ready to plead guilty, she began complaining about her former attorney. She said, “I wish I would have had a lot more time.”

Prosecutor Laura Adams responded: “Miss Aguilera does not have to accept this plea.”

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Diane Ward then shook her head and called off the plea deal, setting a new trial date. Aguilera is now facing more than seven years in prison.

“Marilyn is a mess. Miss Aguilera was ready for this plea. It did not go down as we’d hoped,” Ana Davide, her new lawyer, said.

The deal fell through more than a year after she crashed her SUV into a West Miami-Dade baseball field, slamming into Javier Perez as he was coaching his son’s little-league championship game. Perez was trapped under the vehicle.

Officers could smell alcohol on Aguilera, and she failed the roadside sobriety tests. On her floorboard was a large open can of Budweiser. Her blood tests showed that she had a blood alcohol level almost triple the legal limit.

Perez lost his legs, and barely made it out alive. Many were shocked by the accident since he was a beloved member of the community, known for his signature bow ties, affable personality, and love of sports. A few days after the crash, student held a candlelight vigil and others held events on the internet to help raise money to pay his medical bills.

In the months after the crash, he had over 100 blood transfusions and 20 surgeries, and vowed to one day walk into the school on prosthetic legs. He spoke at a trauma-awareness event at Kendall Regional Medical Center, the same place where doctors saved his life.

Perez and his wife were present during the court hearing, but made no statements to the media. Prosecutor Adams told the judge that Perez’s family had agreed to the plea deal because they were “people of mercy, people who want closure to this painful chapter in their lives.”

The case has been a source of frustration for the family, with Aguilera claiming she had a mental breakdown a few months before while her defense lawyer, Richard Gregg, negotiated a plea deal that meant she wouldn’t get the 7-year sentencing.

However, Aguilera fired Gregg last week, claiming that she wasn’t given the chance to review the evidence against her. She then hired Davide, a former high-school classmate who is providing her services pro bono.

Davide will be representing her at the next trial.

Sources: Miami Herald / Photo Credit: CBS Miami