‘Make something of yourself’: Nevada judge hands down unique sentence in deadly DUI crash case

A judge in Nevada has handed down a unique sentence to Samantha Rapozo, who was involved in a fatal car crash in December 2019 that killed her friend and injured several others. KRNV-DT reports that Rapozo was on her way back from Las Vegas with two friends and was driving under the influence of marijuana when her vehicle collided head-on with a pickup truck. The crash resulted in the death of her friend, Tera Dreelan, and five other people were injured. According to KRNV-DT, one of the people who were injured later died, and their death was possibly related to injuries they suffered as a result of the crash.Video of the April 8 sentencing hearing was recently released. In the video, Rapozo can be heard expressing her remorse.Rapozo's defense attorney, Jason Earnest, noted that Rapozo's health has deteriorated significantly since the crash, stating, in part, "Her frontal lobe is completely gone, it's dead.""I cannot remember that day, nor months before. What I do know is that I fully recognize that there's a lot of growth to be had," Rapozo told the court.Nye County Judge Kimberly Wanker admitted she struggled with the decision, saying, "I really struggled with this case. I struggled enough that I took it home and thought about it all night."After years of legal proceedings, Rapozo accepted a plea deal in October 2024 for one felony count of reckless driving causing death and substantial bodily harm. The judge acknowledged the lengthy delay in the case, which began in 2019 but did not progress until 2022.The prosecution, as well as Rapozo's attorney, recommended probation, despite one of the victims wanting Rapozo to face the maximum sentence of 28 to 72 months in prison. Judge Wanker opted for probation instead of prison time, citing concerns for Rapozo's health. As part of her sentence, the judge ordered Rapozo to write apology letters to the victims and create a video presentation about the impact of her actions."I expect you to, at least one time per month, go out, and I expect you to speak not only to the schools, I expect you to go out to the service organizations," the judge told Rapozo. "Make a difference, make something out of yourself from this tragedy."Rapozo also gave up her medical marijuana card and must pay $205,000 in restitution. Additionally, she must adhere to a 7 p.m. curfew while on probation. See more in the video player above.