White River Junction
Allison Richards last month pleaded guilty to several charges in connection with a crash that hurt Tavian Mayer, and was sentenced to a minimum of 18 months in prison.
On Tuesday, however, all parties in the case convened in Windsor Superior Court and amended her sentence to a minimum of 12 months. That makes her eligible to enter a drug rehabilitation program sooner.
Windsor County State’s Attorney David Cahill said the criteria for that program changed, so Richards wasn’t able to enter it as soon as previously thought under her original sentencing structure.
Defense attorneys and prosecutors didn’t realize the criteria had changed when Richards’ original sentence was imposed, court documents indicate.
A judge on Tuesday approved amending the sentence.
Richards pleaded guilty to felony gross negligent vehicle operation with serious injury resulting, as well as misdemeanor charges of false information to a law enforcement officer and retail theft. The state dropped a second felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident. Richards also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor heroin possession in connection with a separate incident.
Police say Richards in June 2015 pulled out of Locust Creek Store’s parking lot in Bethel after not paying for gas, turned east on Route 107 toward the village and struck Mayer’s westbound-traveling Subaru. The force of the collision caused Mayer’s car to strike a culvert and flip.
Mayer is a partner in the South Royalton firm Mayer and Mayer.
Mayer supported sending Richards to the Tapestry Program, which is a residential treatment program for women who suffer from substance abuse problems, Cahill said.