LANCASTER – The 29-year-old woman charged in the DUI crash that killed a Lancaster woman and critically injured the woman’s husband has accepted a plea agreement reached with prosecutors.
Jodi Lynn Biers pleaded no contest to one count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and one count of driving with a blood alcohol content of 0.08% or greater and causing injury, according to court records.
Biers entered the plea in an Antelope Valley courtroom on Monday, one day before the assigned jury trial date. She was remanded without bail and ordered to return to court next month for sentencing.
Biers had been charged with murder, DUI and several related charges in connection with an early morning crash on March 13, 2012 that claimed the life of 42-year-old Angelica Goins-Jones and critically injured Patrick Jones.
Authorities said Biers’ blood alcohol level was nearly three times the legal limit when her pickup truck ran a red light at the intersection of 10th Street West and Avenue L and slammed into the couple’s vehicle.
Goins-Jones died on impact and Patrick Jones was left clinging to life with a collapsed lung, broken ribs and perforated intestines, according to family members. He has since been released from the hospital and is on the road to recovery, family members said previously.
Immediately after the crash, Biers appeared drunk and disoriented as she revved her engine, as if trying to leave the scene, according to witnesses who testified at a preliminary hearing last April.
Biers told responding deputies that she had been drinking at Schooners in the hours before the incident and she was not aware that she had been involved in a collision, according to testimony at the preliminary hearing.
Biers was ordered to stand trial for murder on April 19, 2012. At the time, family members of Goins-Jones said they were satisfied with the judge’s decision and they hoped Biers would be severely punished.
With time, family members appeared to have softened their stance. Goins-Jones’ father agreed to allow the plea agreement because he did not want to ruin Biers’ life, according to a relative.
Biers, who has been in County lockup since her arrest on March 13, 2012, will return to court on April 19 for a sentencing hearing.
Related articles:
Preliminary hearing reveals details of fatal DUI crash
Biers charged with murder, bail raised to $1 million in alleged DUI crash
Alleged DUI driver pleads not guilty, family grieves victims
Woman killed Tuesday by suspected DUI driver in Lancaster
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Rachelle Smith says
There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of Angiebaby. Her presence was contagious…our Monchi-Chi! She had no malice in heart at all. She learned that from her forgiving loving family and it shows in her fathers decision. Blessed to have loved her and inherit a beautiful family…Goins-Jones. I pray for Jodi and her family and thank Paul Goins for opening my eyes to remember that OUR GOD IS A FORGIVING GOD!
Sleep well Angiebaby…
Letlow says
My heart hurts for your family and I don’t even know you or Angie. Your forgiving loving family will be blessed many times over for this decision. You now have a guardian angel watching over you.
Rachelle Smith says
Indeed I do! Thank you for your kind words. Keep the Biers family in prayer as well.
Mick says
If you choose to drink excessively, DON’T drive. I was a bartender for many years and got a lot of verbal abuse (and a black eye) for taking away keys from customers who were intoxicated. I often paid for their taxi ride with my tip money.
Otherwise smart people get stupid when drinking too much.
My heart goes out to the Jones family.