Ozark, MO – Christian County Prosecuting Attorney, Amy J. Fite announced today that KARENA D. SMITH, dob: 09/11/1992 of Tunas, Missouri plead guilty to the class B felony of involuntary manslaughter in the 1st degree and two class C felonies of assault in the second degree. The case was set to go to trial today in Christian County in front of Christian County Circuit Judge Mark Orr. The defendant announced her desire to plead guilty and did so on Friday November 2, 2012. The plea was without a plea agreement with the State other than the sentences for each count would run concurrent with each other.
KARENA D. SMITH plead guilty to driving while intoxicated while driving a car on May 31, 2010 and being criminally negligent when she failed to yield to oncoming traffic which caused another vehicle to hit hers. In the wreck, one of her passengers was killed and another physically injured. The driver of the other vehicle was also physically injured. SMITH had a blood alcohol content of .191. The legal limit is .08.
Formal sentencing is set for January 11, 2013. Prior to sentencing, a sentencing sentence report will be prepared by the Missouri Department of Corrections. The class B felony of involuntary manslaughter in the first degree carries a range of punishment of five (5) year to fifteen (15) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections. Each class C felony of assault in the second degree carries a range of punishment of one (1) day to one (1) year in the Christian County Jail or one (1) year to seven (7) years in the Missouri Department of Corrections and/or a fine not to exceed five thousand (5,000) dollars.