(Stillwater) — A Cushing man who admitted that he was drunk driving in a one-vehicle crash that killed his passenger has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for first-degree manslaughter.
Richard Raymond Robbins, 42, remained in the Payne County Jail on Monday pending his transportation to state prison, a sheriff’s spokesman told KUSH.
Robbins was scheduled to stand trial on the January jury docket, but he avoided the possibility of a life prison term by accepting a plea bargain on Jan. 15, court records show.
Robbins had been arrested twice for public intoxication in Cushing last summer after being released by the court on $5,000 bail on the manslaughter charge, records show.
When he pleaded guilty to first-degree manslaughter on Jan. 15, Robbins said in court documents, “I drove while intoxicated and caused the death of Elizabeth Lewis.”
Robbins was drunk when he crashed his Ford Explorer in a one-vehicle accident about 11:45 p.m. June 13, 2008, on Linwood and Deep Rock Road northeast of Cushing, according to court records.
His passenger, Elizabeth Ann Lewis, 37, of Cushing, was pronounced dead at the scene from head injuries that were believed to have occurred as the vehicle overturned, the Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported.
Robbins admitted to having consumed at least nine cans of beer prior to the crash, according to an affidavit by OHP Trooper Randy Clark. Robbins was traveling at least 55 mph in a 45 mph zone, the affidavit said.
“Robbins stated as he approached the intersection that for no reason Lewis started hitting him in the chest area,” the affidavit said.
The trooper determined “the most logical explanation concerning Lewis hitting Robbins was that Lewis was attempting to warn Robbins of the approaching curve in the road,” the affidavit said.
Robbins said that he and Lewis had not been fighting or arguing, the affiadvit said.
“Robbins then utilized braking action and skid into a grassy island area where the Ford Explorer struck a protruding pipe.
“The vehicle then continued to skid across the grassy island, causing the vehicle to enter into a broad slide.
“The vehicle then entered onto Deep Rock Road where the right side tires dug into the dirt and gravel surface causing the vehicle to overturn 3/4 times,” the affidavit said.
Members of the Cushing Fire Deartment, who made an immediate response to the collision scene, along with OHP Troopers Kevin Duncan and Brandon Harmon, could testify that Robbins smelled of alcohol and appeared intoxicated, the affidavit said.
The trooper said that he smelled alcohol on Robbins about an hour after the collision when he interviewed him, the affidavit said.
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