Indy woman sentenced to 3 years after killing 2 people in separate 2022 crashes

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis woman will serve prison time after she killed two people in two separate crashes.




In March, 58-year-old Kelli Anderson pleaded guilty to two counts of reckless homicide, each a Level 5 felony, in relation to the deaths of Brian Dillman and Kiana Burns in May and June 2022, respectively.




Anderson received the maximum sentence by Judge Charles Miller of three years, laid out in the plea agreement. Anderson was taken into custody by the Indiana Department of Correction after Thursday's sentencing.




After Anderson's time in the Indiana Department of Correction, Anderson will serve three years of monitored probation. Under the plea agreement, Anderson's license will be suspended for six years, the maximum under a Level 5 felony, and she will also be named a habitual traffic offender, which will suspend her license for 10 years. The license suspensions will run concurrently.

As part of the plea agreement, the state of Indiana dismissed several counts in relation to the two incidents, including six misdemeanor counts of criminal recklessness.

The agreement states that Anderson's initial executed sentence "shall not exceed three years" for each charge of reckless homicide and that Anderson's driver's license is expected to be suspended for six years, the maximum under a Level 5 felony. However, under the agreement, the sentences are expected to be run concurrently.








According to previous reports, Anderson had previously been told by doctors that she should not be behind the wheel of a car because of a medical condition. This led to five crashes before the first fatal crash in May 2022.




On the afternoon of May 19, 2022, officers were called to the area of West 49th Street and North Meridian Street on a call of a pedestrian struck. At the time, police said that Anderson drove over a curb and went on the sidewalk before she hit Dillman. Dillman, who was an ER doctor, was out for a walk when Anderson's SUV hit him.




According to previous reports, Anderson was not charged at the time in connection with the crash. Anderson told police at the time that she blacked out, which is what led to the crash. Anderson told police that she was on a regimen of prescription medicine for seizures and did not remember the crash.








On June 9, 2022, officers were called to the area of N. Keystone Avenue and East 52nd Street on a multi-vehicle crash. Witnesses said at the time that Anderson's SUV ran into stopped vehicles while traveling between almost 70 mph.




According to previous reports, 28-year-old Kiana Burns was driving a vehicle that was struck by Anderson, pushing her vehicle into ongoing traffic. Burns, a mother, was taken off of life support and pronounced dead.




After this crash, Anderson was seen "walking around without difficulty, did not appear injured and was coherent." At this time, she told officers that she blacked out again, and that she takes medication to life-threatening allergies and epilepsy.

What happened during the sentencing hearing?

During Thursday's sentencing hearing, officials heard from three family members who were impacted by Anderson's actions.




In her testimony, Eleanor Dillman, Brian Dillman's daughter who was 15 years old when he was killed, said that the crash scene has been burned into her memory. Eleanor Dillman said that Thursday's sentencing hearing was the first opportunity for both families to receive some closure and justice.




Eleanor Dillman said that this was not just a tragic accident, but a choice by Anderson to get behind the wheel of a car. She said that she works every day to make her father proud, but will not know for sure based on Anderson's actions.




"Anderson has no regard for human life," she said. "If she did, we wouldn't be here begging for justice."




Denise and Ciera Gatling, two of Burns' family members, also spoke during Thursday's sentencing. They said that Anderson's actions turned their lives upside down.




As for the children that Burns left behind, Denise Gatling said that she can see "every day how this affects them." Ultimately, she said that she wants the children to feel that their mom mattered.




In testimony from Anderson, she said that there are no words that can capture what happened and no words can express how sorry she is.




"From the depth of my heart and soul, I apologize for the immeasurable grief and pain that I have inflicted upon you," she said.




Right before Thursday's sentencing, Judge Charles Miller acknowledged the city's pedestrian crisis, stressing that Anderson's actions cost the community an ER physician and a mother full of promise.




"You clearly knew it was the wrong thing to do, and you continued to drive," he said.




This story will be updated as more information becomes available.





via: https://fox59.com/news/indycrime/indy-woman-to-serve-3-years-in-jail-after-killing-2-people-in-separate-2022-crashes/