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After drunken driver kills son, mother billed for cleanup
A drunken driver killed an Upstate women's son last year, and if the grief wasn't enough, she's had to deal with bills associated with the wreck, even for the cost of cleaning up her son's blood.
A coroner called Loretta Robinson last June and told her that her oldest son, Justin Walker, died when his car was struck by a drunken driver on White Horse Road. "I never would have imagined getting that call," she said. "Never in one million years expected that."
Robinson looked Anna Gonzalez, the accused driver, in the eye in court Tuesday as Gonzalez pleaded guilty.
The grieving mother then showed the judge the many bills she's had to pay, even though her son was not at fault.
Robinson said she paid to have the wrecked car stored for months, in case there was a trial.
"I had to pay to have the vehicle towed," she said. "I had to pay for the vehicle removed and to clean up the street from Justin's blood on the ground."
Robinson said that was the bill that stung the most – paying $50 to have the street cleaned.
"First of all, having to open the mail and look at the charge to the deceased, Justin Darryl Walker — the deceased! It's just a hard thing to deal with in the context of your child," she said.
She said she has a hard time working now because of the emotional effects of the accident, and having bills keep on arriving when she has no income is very frustrating.
The state's victim assistance fund has provided some money, but it primarily covers funeral, medical and counseling expenses.
Robinson said she doesn't expect she'll get a cent from Gonzalez.
Although Gonzalez was an illegal immigrant that had lived here for 12 years, she never got a South Carolina driver's license. She has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.
"We have to be able, as a country, to figure out a way with people here who are illegal and commit crimes," Robinson said.
On a positive note, Robinson is very grateful to law enforcement and prosecutors and in front of the judge on Tuesday, she thanked everyone for being so supportive.
Read more at Ms No World Order
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