A Rincon woman won’t serve prison time for a crash that claimed the life of an 87-year-old woman, but she will make three stints in the county jail over the next eighteen months.
34-year-old Kayla Marie Rozier was sentenced in court last week on felony charges stemming from an April 2023 incident in Rincon that led to the death of 87-year-old Beulah Miller.
Following an investigation and toxicology results, Rozier was indicted by an Effingham County grand jury in June 2024 on charges of felony Homicide by Vehicle, Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, and Reckless Driving. According to the indictment, Rozier was under the influence of cyclobenzaprine (a muscle relaxer) and phentermine (a stimulant) and was reckless in driving through an area where pedestrians were walking.
In Georgia, Homicide by Vehicle can be in the 1st or 2nd degree depending on the circumstances of the crash.
- Homicide by Vehicle – 1st degree (FELONY) applies when a person causes the death of another with their vehicle ‘without malice aforethought.’ The death must result in the commission of one of the following unlawful acts:
- Reckless Driving,
- DUI,
- Improperly passing a school bus,
- Fleeing/Attempting to Elude a Police Officer, or
- Driving as a habitual violator.
- Also considered is whether or not a person leaves the scene
- A conviction carries a 1-15 year sentence in prison, unless a person left the scene, in which the mandatory minimum sentence is 3-15 years.
- Homicide by Vehicle – 2nd degree (MISDEMEANOR) applies when a person causes the death of another without malice aforethought and without committing the unlawful acts listed in the felony charge. The law requires these offenses to be sentenced as misdemeanors (maximum 12 months in jail, $1,000 fine) with specifics set forth by the judge.
Rozier, represented by defense attorney Scott Brannen, entered a plea of ‘not guilty’ last summer. She has remained free on bond since her arrest as the case has played out in court, though she was on probation for another case until October 2024.
Prior DUI Arrest
Court records show the DUI charge attached to the Homicide by Vehicle charge is not Rozier’s first. Rozier was charged with DUI in Effingham County six months prior to the fatal incident.
She was arrested by the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office on December 1, 2022 for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Driving without Headlights, and Distracted Driving for watching a video on a phone while driving.
Rozier pleaded Nolo Contendere to the DUI, guilty to the Driving without Headlights offense, and the Hands Free charge was dismissed. A plea of Nolo Contendere is a plea by which a defendant in a criminal prosecution accepts conviction as though a guilty plea had been entered but does not admit guilt.
Then-State Court Judge Stephen Yekel to 10 days in jail, with all time suspended except 24 hours, 40 hours of community service, $800 in fines, an Alcohol & Drug Evaluation, Risk Reduction School, a Victim Impact Panel, and 24 months probation, which could be terminated early if all conditions were met. Her probation was terminated 12 months after her plea.
Sentencing for Homicide by Vehicle, DUI
Rozier was sentenced as part of a negotiated plea. ADA Matt Breedon prosecuted the case for the state and Rozier was represented by Statesboro defense attorney Scott Brannen. Judge Ronald Thompson accepted the plea in Effingham County Superior Court.
Rozier entered a guilty plea to Homicide by Vehicle – 1st degree (Felony) and Reckless Driving. As part of the plea agreement, Rozier’s DUI charge was dismissed.
For the Homicide by Vehicle offense, Rozier received 3 years to serve in prison with twelve years to be served on probation. The prison sentence, however, was suspended, meaning she will not serve time in a state correctional facility. On the Reckless Driving charge, Rozier received 12 months probation to be served concurrent to the Homicide by Vehicle charge. She was ordered to pay a $2,000 fine for the Homicide charge, totaling $2,865 after fees.
Rozier is also barred from consuming alcohol and any drug not prescribed to her. She also cannot occupy a residence where alcohol is present and cannot go to an establishment that serves alcohol.
As a condition of the plea, Rozier was ordered to serve 90 days in the county jail. The time must be served in 30-day increments and must be completed within 18 months of her May 16 sentencing.
She was also sentenced under the First Offender Act, meaning if she successfully completes her sentence and term of probation, the conviction will be scrubbed from her record.
