South Florida

Judge Withdraws Miami-Dade Woman's Guilty Plea to DUI Charges in 2016 Crash That Injured High School Principal

A Miami-Dade judge has withdrawn a plea deal for a woman who pleaded guilty on all charges following an April 2016 DUI crash that injured a popular South Florida high school principal.

Attorneys for Marilyn Aguilera had worked out a plea deal with prosecutors, in which she pled guilty to three counts of DUI including one count with serious bodily injury in the crash that injured South Dade High School principal Javier Perez.

But during a hearing Friday, a judge noted Aguilera's erratic behavior and questioned what medication she was taking and why before taking a recess.

These people have been sitting here in this so courtroom for hours, act like a grownup!" Judge Diane Ward said at one point.

After recess, Aguilera was asked if she was dissatisfied with anything, and she began complaining about her previous attorney - at which point the judge stopped everything and revoked the deal.

The case will now go to trial, which is scheduled to begin in December.

Perez was coaching his son's baseball team when police said Aguilera plowed into the principal on the field. Perez lost both of his legs after the crash.

Under the agreement, Aguilera would have served four years in state prison followed by one year house arrest and two years’ probation. She would also have been required to enter a substance abuse course, not be allowed to drive while on house arrest or probation, do 300 hours of community service and not be allowed to drink alcohol among other requirements.

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