# Woman who ran down Bennigan's waitress gets 30 years in prison **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 22, 2003, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164 "2003-07-22T15:55:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/41 "2024-05-01T14:51:07Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > I wonder if she is smarter at 30 than as 19. 1. Hate to break it to you but 2003 was 21 years ago šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/42 "2024-05-01T14:51:30Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > I wonder if she is smarter at 30 than as 19. Most people are. But not all, of course. A stupid and tragic crime, but Iā€™d grant her parole unless sheā€™s been a problem in prison. ---
**Author:** ![Mikkel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikkel/32/13151_2.png) [@Mikkel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikkel)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/43 "2024-05-01T15:53:10Z")
You are right. My only excuse is that Iā€™m just home from work and somewhat tired. Well, will she have learned to be a be a better person after 21 years in prison, you think? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/44 "2024-05-01T16:05:05Z")
She was [pretty immature](https://www.npr.org/2011/10/10/141164708/brain-maturity-extends-well-beyond-teen-years) at 19. Itā€™s hard to predict how prison will influence someone. I hope sheā€™s taken college classes and gotten counseling. Iā€™m not sure itā€™s available in all prisons. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/45 "2024-05-01T16:09:09Z")
> [@Palooka](#): > > I didnā€™t realize the age of the thread when I started reading it. I thought 30 years seemed harsh for an accidental death Nothing ā€œaccidentalā€ about itā€“the death came from a series of choices she made. 30 years is too lenient. ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/46 "2024-05-01T16:10:11Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > Well, will she have learned to be a be a better person after 21 years in prison, you think? Yeah Iā€™d say 21 years in prison would be a suitable punishment for this crime (although the counterpoint would be: this is Texas how many people who didnā€™t kill anyone are in prison for much longer than that?) To be honest the civil is more interesting to me. The management here have a lot to answer for. If they did carry on with this policy, how many other servers were shot, stabbed or otherwise attacked over the last 21 years because they felt they had to stop someone dine and dashing (again itā€™s Texas FFS itā€™s not a good idea to do that anywhere but in a state where every other dude is carrying? Its basically suicidal) ---
**Author:** ![griffin1977](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/977dab/32.png) [@griffin1977](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/griffin1977)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2024, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/47 "2024-05-01T16:11:16Z")
> [@Mikkel](#): > > My only excuse is that Iā€™m just home from work and somewhat tired. Donā€™t feel bad, itā€™s frankly unbelievable that 2003 is over two decades ago. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/48 "2024-05-02T05:45:53Z")
According to the [texas.gov](http://texas.gov) prison website, [Texas Department of Criminal Justice Inmate Search](https://inmate.tdcj.texas.gov/InmateSearch/reviewDetail.action?sid=07014745&tdcj=01184300&fullName=FOUST%2CSARAH+HAVEN), hereā€™s her last parole decision: ā€œDenied on 05/12/2021 NEXT REVIEW (05/2024)- Deny favorable parole action and set for next review. Denial reason(s): 2D **2D NATURE OF OFFENSE** - THE RECORD INDICATES THE INSTANT OFFENSE HAS ELEMENTS OF BRUTALITY, VIOLENCE, ASSAULTIVE BEHAVIOR, OR CONSCIOUS SELECTION OF VICTIMā€™S VULNERABILITY INDICATING A CONSCIOUS DISREGARD FOR THE LIVES, SAFETY, OR PROPERTY OF OTHERS, SUCH THAT THE OFFENDER POSES A CONTINUING THREAT TO PUBLIC SAFETY.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/49 "2024-05-02T12:20:04Z")
Wow. Sounds like prison may not have rehabilitated her, but at least it kept her away from the general public for 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/50 "2024-05-02T12:27:03Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Sounds like prison may not have rehabilitated her, In an alternative universe situation in which she just missed the waitress and didnā€™t get caught, I wonder what sort of adult she would have become. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/51 "2024-05-02T15:18:25Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > Wow. Sounds like prison may not have rehabilitated her, but at least it kept her away from the general public for 20 years. As I read the post above yours, it seems to focus only on the elements of the offense, not on how sheā€™s behaved since. I see no evidence either way on rehibiltation. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/52 "2024-05-02T16:32:28Z")
Using the elements of the offense to deny parole when parole eligibility is part of the sentence for the offense seems a little circular to me, but I guess I donā€™t know who needs to meet what burden of proof. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/53 "2024-05-02T16:36:03Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > I think the waitress was clearly not following company policy when she went outside to get the license number. This may be enough to get Bennagins off the hook although I still think their policy(if they hold employees responsible for dine-n-dash) sucks and should be changed. As a juror, I would favor the family in this contradiction. You pay for dine-and-dashers but itā€™s company policy that you do nothing about it if someone DnDs. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/54 "2024-05-02T16:39:47Z")
> [@griffin1977](#): > > Hate to break it to you but 2003 was 21 years ago Nope because the 80ā€™s were 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/55 "2024-05-02T16:53:02Z")
I thought parole was supposed to be based entirely off of behavior in prison. Otherwise, if youā€™re going to reference the original crime when denying parole, why even bother with a parole hearing? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/56 "2024-05-02T16:53:15Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > As I read the post above yours, it seems to focus only on the elements of the offense, not on how sheā€™s behaved since. I see no evidence either way on rehibiltation. I thought that ā€œNature of Offenceā€ referred to something that happened during incarceration. But now I donā€™t see anything to support my earlier interpretation. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/57 "2024-05-02T17:08:25Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I thought parole was supposed to be based entirely off of behavior in prison. Otherwise, if youā€™re going to reference the original crime when denying parole, why even bother with a parole hearing? I assumed that there are questions about remorse at a parole hearing. Sounds like this woman is just your garden variety asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/58 "2024-05-02T17:10:32Z")
The parole board starts with the offence as a baseline, then considers conduct since then. If the original offence was a horrible one, need to show major improvements to justify release. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/59 "2024-05-02T17:27:29Z")
Absolutely but it doesnā€™t appear that they bothered to find out about her conduct since. They certainly may have but the form reflects a rubber stamp NO based on the original crime. ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2024, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164/60 "2024-05-02T17:30:40Z")
Difficult to tell from whatā€™s out there. But it is Texas, and parole can be a tough sell here even in the best of cases. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-who-ran-down-bennigans-waitress-gets-30-years-in-prison/190164.md?page=4)