BELMONT, N.C. — A Belmont woman will spend the next 14 years in prison after admitting to taking prescription drugs and texting right before she hit and killed a man.
Belinda Hudspeth cried during most of the hearing Monday morning in Gaston County.
Her attorney said she knew she was wrong, and she wanted to save the victim's family members the grief of waiting for the court case to end.
Hudspeth pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and the prosecution, in exchange, dropped the traffic charges against her.
Hudspeth admitted she was under the influence of Prozac and another prescription drug when she got behind the wheel in February.
She was also texting when she ran off of the road and hit Lavon Ramsey.
Ramsey had just stepped outside of her home in north Belmont.
Hudspeth will spend the next 14 years in prison, but she told the judge she is living with a far greater punishment.
"I've already given myself a life sentence because I live with this the rest of my life, knowing that I hurt somebody," she said.
It's not the first time Hudspeth has been charged with a DWI. Channel 9 learned more about her past charges, and starting at 5 on Eyewitness News, the impact that has had on her sentence.
WSOC
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