Woman Sentenced To 4 Years For DUI Death

By A STAFF REPORT | Tbo.com
Published: May 23, 2008

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LARGO -- A woman who made alcohol-awareness presentations to students was sentenced to four years in prison Friday after pleading no contest to a charge of DUI manslaughter.

Jessica Rasdall, 21, of Seminole, also received two years of probation, according to Pinellas County court records.

Rasdall was 18 on Feb. 25, 2006, when she lost control of her car on Interstate 275, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Her car veered off the road, struck several trees and overturned, killing her passenger and friend, Laura Gorman, 18.

At the time, Rasdall's blood-alcohol level was 0.129, the highway patrol said. A driver is presumed intoxicated at 0.08 or higher.

Ellen Snelling, co-chair of the Tampa Alcohol Coalition, said Friday in an e-mail that Rasdall had worked with the group for two years making alcohol-awareness presentations to students around the Bay area.