Wellington driver sentenced to 10 years after Greenacres crash that killed motorcyclist

Julius Whigham II, Palm Beach Post
·2 min read

WEST PALM BEACH — A judge Tuesday sentenced a 35-year-old Wellington woman to 10 years in prison following a February 2021 crash that killed a motorcyclist.

Samantha DeMaio pleaded guilty to DUI manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the Feb. 27, 2021, crash that killed 54-year-old Andre Bonhoure of Riviera Beach.

Circuit Court Judge Sarah Willis sentenced DeMaio to 10 years on each charge, with the sentences to be served concurrently. Willis also revoked DeMaio's driver's license for life. The Palm Beach County Public Defender's Office represented DeMaio in court.

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Authorities said DeMaio rear-ended Bonhoure's Suzuki GSX motorcycle as the bike stopped at a traffic signal at Jog Road and Summit Boulevard in Greenacres. The impact pushed the motorcycle into the rear of a pickup that had stopped in front of it, throwing Bonhoure to the pavement.

DeMaio "failed to reduce speed or to take any kind of evasive action" to avoid the crash, Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office investigators said in arresting her in September.

Toxicology tests done about 75 minutes after the crash found traces of fentanyl and cocaine in her blood, investigators said.

Investigators said at the time they suspected that DeMaio had passed out behind the wheel before the crash.

DeMaio initially told investigators Bonhoure had been weaving through traffic behind her on Jog, and then moved in front of her and slammed on the motorcycle's brakes as he approached the traffic signal.

But investigators determined that her actions were the sole cause of the crash.

Willis credited DeMaio with the 413 days – nearly 14 months – she has served in jail while awaiting trial.

Julius Whigham II is a criminal justice and public safety reporter for The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jwhigham@pbpost.com and follow him on Twitter at @JuliusWhigham. Help support our work: Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Judge sentences Wellington woman to 10 years for DUI manslaughter