PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 35-year-old Norristown woman pleaded guilty Friday to being under the influence of drugs and alcohol when she crashed her car and killed her 14-month-old last year.
On Sept. 30, 2023, at 2:40 p.m., Arbetina Johnson-Lowery was driving on East Johnson Highway in East Norriton when she slammed into a stopped SEPTA bus.
“It's actually caught on video by the SEPTA bus where you see her speed up, tailgate almost the car in front of her — to then avoid it, she swerves head-on into a stopped SEPTA bus, sending her child flying from his car seat that wasn't properly put in place at all,” said Prosecutor Gabby Glenning.
Her 14-month-old son died in the crash.
Glenning says Johnson-Lowery had alcohol, cocaine, methamphetamines and other drugs in her system at the time of the incident.
She declined to address the court during her sentencing plea but her lawyer Matt Hagerty spoke on her behalf, saying she is living every day with “tremendous remorse” and has been sober and in recovery since.
Johnson-Lowery was pregnant at the time. Her four-month-old was in the courtroom during her plea.
She pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and lesser charges, including improperly securing her son into his car seat. She is sentenced to three-to-six years in prison, the mandatory minimum for homicide by vehicle while DUI.
“This is the ultimate crime that someone can commit when they get behind the wheel intoxicated,” Glenning said, “and, unfortunately, in this case, it was even more horrendous that it was this woman's own 14-month-old son who lost his life due to her intoxication.”
She remains free on bail and will report to prison on July 5.