Sunset Beach Driver’s Conviction Upheld for Alcohol-Related Crash That Killed 3

A state appellate court in Santa Ana refused Tuesday to overturn the conviction of a Sunset Beach woman sentenced two years ago to 12 years in prison for the deaths of three young women in a Pacific Coast Highway collision.

Kym L. Murphy, 28, may be ordered to jail within two months, according to Deputy Dist. Atty. John B. Lett. Superior Court Judge Phillip E. Cox applied the maximum sentence after Murphy’s conviction on three counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence.

Murphy has been free on a $25,000 bond during her appeal.

The 4th District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana, in a unanimous opinion, found the evidence against Murphy “more than supports” her conviction for the Sept. 10, 1984 collision in Seal Beach.

Admitted Drinking

“Unless she appeals to the state Supreme Court, it looks like this means she is going to have to serve her time,” Lett said.

Murphy admitted she had been drinking and using cocaine the night of the incident. Her car crossed the center divider about 3 a.m. and collided head on with a car carrying Diane Mae Druckrey, 21, Deborah Lee Slemmons, 20, and Dawn Joy Utterback, 18. The three Mission Viejo women, who were returning home from a restaurant, were killed.

Murphy, who was seriously injured, said she had been blinded by the headlights of the oncoming car.

Evidence at Murphy’s trial revealed that she had prior convictions for drunk driving and that at the time of the collision she was driving on a restricted license that permitted her to drive only to and from work.

‘A Long Time Coming’

Her attorney, Scott Gailen, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

Lett said, “It’s been a long time coming.”

Murphy’s lawyers argued there was no evidence of gross negligence. But Justice Thomas F. Crosby Jr., in the court’s opinion, wrote that evidence indicated she had a high blood-alcohol level, had consumed cocaine, was driving at a high speed, made no apparent attempt to evade the other car and did not apply her brakes.

Lett said it could be two to four weeks before the appellate opinion is officially issued. After that, he said, Murphy would have to report to the court within 30 days.