Repeat DUI offender in court in connection to 5-car crash

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (WHDH) -- A Norfolk woman, who in 2007 killed someone while driving drunk, was in court on Monday facing DUI charges in connection to a five-car crash over the weekend.

Police say the woman’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit when they pulled her over on the highway over the weekend.

With her mother by her side, 22-year-old Elizabeth Finnegan of Norfolk arrived at Attleboro District Court to answer to a charge of operating under the influence of alcohol.

“I’m just sorry for the victims of what happened. I hope they’re all okay,” said Mark Finnegan, the suspect’s father.

Elizabeth Finnegan was handcuffed and taken into custody over a question of bail, and was visibly upset.

She was involved in a five-car crash along 95 northbound in Attleboro that sent three people to the hospital.

“While speaking to Miss Finnegan, the trooper did detect a strong odor of what he believed to be an alcoholic beverage. He also observed her eyes were glassy. She had slurred speech and she was unsteady on her feet,” said Derek Coyne, a prosecutor.

Elizabeth Finnegan was arrested by Ashland Police in 2009 when she was found passed out behind the wheel of her car after she ran off the road. She was on probation at the time, after she was arrested in 2007 when at the age of 17 she struck and killed 48-year-old Jeffrey Cardon of Wrentham.

Elizabeth Finnegan, at the time, claimed she didn’t know she had hit someone, but later turned herself into police and pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of an accident and bodily injury. She was sentenced to three years of probation, her license was suspended for six months, and was ordered by the judge to remain alcohol and drug free.

Elizabeth Finnegan’s father says she needs to get help.

“We’ve all tried to talk to her and tried to get her into some help. But you know, it’s a very difficult thing to recover from and she did her best for a while but then she slipped back in,” Mark Finnegan said.

Bail was set at $3000 cash bail and the judge said she will remain under house arrest until the case is resolved.

Elizabeth Finnegan is due back in court next month.