United States v. Sheffey

During a doctor’s visit, defendant told his doctor about his alcohol abuse problem. His doctor prescribed him a sedative and put him on a waiting list for a clinic. The pharmacist and the bottle both warned of the effects of mixing alcohol with the sedative. Defendant was likely abusing his prescription because he refilled it much earlier than it was due to be refilled. He admitted to drinking heavily and taking the sedative the day of the accident.

Witness recount the defendant’s driving before the accident of darting across the double yellow lines to pass vehicles, tailgating others, and expressing road rage while driving down very steep, sharp curves. The defendant hit the victims at what was described as a 90 degree curve. There were empty vodka bottles, sprite, beer cans and the prescription bottle with more pills missing than would be if he was adhering to his dosage, in the defendant’s car. Defendant admitted to drinking vodka-sprites and taking his medication that day, and testified that he was likely driving 40-45 miles per hour, though the speed limit varied from 25 to 30 miles per hour.

Defendant was convicted of second degree murder.