Backsliding Drunk Driver Gets 4 Years

An admitted drunk driver who killed a Bonita woman was resentenced Friday to four years in state prison because he did not follow the guidelines of his probation.

Jerald Covey received the extended sentence from Superior Court Judge William D. Mudd, who told the family of the dead woman that the judicial system is ill-equipped to deal with cases like this, in which the family demands retribution.

“The family thinks the system will do something to make them feel better, but it won’t, it can’t,” Mudd said to the gathered family of the dead woman, Stephanie Rossi.

Rossi, a mother of three, was killed Nov. 5, 1989, when struck by the motorcycle Covey was driving.

Covey pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in a plea bargain.

Mudd originally sentenced Covey to one year in County Jail and four years of supervised probation, under which he was to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, refrain from drinking and pay the Rossi family restitution of $6,500.

Since being released from jail earlier this year--after serving only 196 days--Covey has neither paid any of the restitution nor attended AA meetings. He also has failed two urine tests that uncovered alcohol in his system.

During the original sentencing hearing, Mudd warned Covey that failure to abide by the conditions of probation would result in a state prison term.

Reading from the transcript of the original sentencing hearing, Deputy Dist. Atty. Jennifer Yackle quoted Mudd, “I expect this (restitution) to be paid, and you know the consequences if you fail to do it.”

Mudd kept his word Friday.

In addition to the prison term, Mudd increased the restitution Covey is required to pay to $10,000--the maximum allowed under state law at the time of the first sentencing hearing.

However, the judge also warned the family that the system has another failure: “The very realistic probability that Mr. Covey will pay any of this (restitution) . . . is highly in doubt.”