PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A woman who crashed in a construction zone on I-205 last year, killing her passenger, has been sentenced to time in prison.
On Friday, 25-year-old Rachel Banks was convicted of criminal negligent homicide in the death of 21-year-old Calvin Biltimier and sentenced to 18 months in prison.
Investigators said Banks was driving south on I-205 on Dec. 18 when she lost control of her car, crashed into construction barrels in the emergency shoulder and smashed into the side of a parked construction truck. The car continuted to slide into a second parked truck under the SE Stark overpass.
Biltimier was pinned inside of the car and rescuers had to cut through the roof to reach him. He died a week later in a hospital.
Banks previously pleaded not guilty to charges of DUII, assault and reckless driving.
But on Friday, Banks changed her plea to “no contest” to criminal negligent homicide and DUII.
The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office said the plea provides “sufficient evidence to show that she, with criminal negligence, caused the death of Mr. Biltimier while under the influence of marijuana.”
As part of the pretrial plea agreement, Banks will have 5 years of probation and her driver’s license will be revoked for life.
During Friday’s sentencing, Biltimier’s family said he moved to Oregon 2 years before the crash and loved the Pacific Northwest.
“[Calvin] had a promising life and would have done great things,” said Biltimier’s father, Mike Biltimier. “That life, however, was cut much too short by the negligence and irresponsibility of the defendant.”