She’s accused of driving up on the lawn where three little girls and a friend were playing and striking them, killing one.
The woman is Betty Jo Tagerson and her trial for vehicular homicide begins in court today.
Authorities say the young girl, 5-year-old Delaney Rossman, was killed during that crash at her New Port Richey home in November 2010. Her triplet sister, Gabrielle, was seriously injured along with another friend. The children were playing in the front yard of the Rossman home when authorities say Tagerson hit them.
The triplets’ mother, Danielle Malm, tells 10 News that she’s nervous and anxious about the trial. Her daughters are expected to take the stand. “For as much as we want this to happen, I still don’t want them to have go through what they’re going to go through. I don’t want to have to get up there, but I’m going to have to. And there’s nothing easy about that. That’s nervewracking,” said Malm.
Malm said her daughters have been preparing and they’re as comfortable as they can be. Gabrielle, now fully recovered, doesn’t remember the accident, but will talk about her injuries. Isabella, who wasn’t seriously hurt during the crash, saw it happen and is ready to go on the stand.
Isabella and Gabrielle just turned 7 years old less than two weeks ago. Malm has made a memorial at her parents’ home for Delaney.
Tagerson’s lawyer has claimed she suffers from a medical condition that causes black-outs and that her first episode occurred the day of the accident.
Source: 10 News
