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| Marcus kowal, Mishel Eder, Liam Kowal, baby killed by drunk driver Donna Marie Higgins in Torrance, California |
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| Donna Higgins, guilty |
A 72-year-old woman pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter Thursday and was sentenced to six years in state prison for driving through a crosswalk while drunk in Hawthorne last year and killing the 15-month-old son of MMA fighter Marcus Kowal as he was pushed in his stroller.
During an emotional hearing at the Airport courthouse, Donna Marie Higgins was handcuffed and taken away to begin serving her sentence immediately for the Sept. 3, 2016, crash that killed Liam Kowal.
Higgins, who had no previous criminal record and had been free on bail, offered no apology in court, other than softly answering, “Guilty, your honor,” when Judge Yvette Verastegui asked her for her plea to one felony count of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.
MAY BE ‘LIFE SENTENCE’
“To be honest, I hope she doesn’t see daylight again,” Kowal said later. “We can’t change her. She is at the end of her life. This may have been a life sentence for her.”
http://www.dailybreeze.com/general-news/20170810/tears-pain-fill-courtroom-as-72-year-old-woman-sent-to-prison-for-killing-mma-fighters-son-in-hawthorneUPDATE: 04/02/2017 April 4, 2017
08:30 AM
Airport Courthouse
W31
PRELIM SETTING/RESETTING.
12/17/2016 There is a hearing on January 12, 2017
08:30 AM
Airport Courthouse
W30
EARLY DISPOSITION HEARING.
This is a hearing to see if the case can be disposed of by plea bargain. I assume she will plead guilty to vehicular manslaughter. The court will consider her advanced age and probably agree to the plea and give her ten years in prison all time suspended as long as she doesn't get in trouble with the law again. She will lose her drivers license for probably the rest of her life. I would think the parents and girl sued her in civil court.
HIGGINS, DONNA MARIE
SA094376
11/10/2016
Airport Courthouse (LAX)
Case Number:
LAXSA094376-01
Defendant Name:
HIGGINS, DONNA MARIE
Violation Date:
September 3, 2016
Filing Date:
November 10, 2016
Courthouse:
Airport Courthouse
Print
Case Information Events Bail Sentencing Information
Count
Charge Section
Charge Statute
Plea
Disposition
Disposition Date
01
191.5(A)
Penal Code
Not Guilty
Case Pending
Case Pending
02
23153(A)
Vehicle Code
Not Guilty
Case Pending
Case Pending
03
23153(B)
Vehicle Code
Not Guilty
Case Pending
Case Pending
04
20001(B)(2)
Vehicle Code
Not Guilty
Case Pending
Case Pending
DATE POSTED:
November 15, 2016
RECEIPT/BOND NUMBER:
AUL2101687
SURETY COMPANY:
AMERICAN CONTRACTORS
BOND AGENT:
CAUGHT UP BAIL BONDS
REGISTER NUMBER:
AMOUNT OF BAIL:
100000.00
APPEARANCE DATE:
November 15, 2016
January 12, 2017
08:30 AM
Airport Courthouse
W30
EARLY DISPOSITION HEARING
Past Events
Date
Time
Location
Dept/Room Number
Event
November 15, 2016
08:30 AM
Airport Courthouse
W30
ARRAIGNMENT
Her first arrest information.
Booking No.: 4770478 Last Name: HIGGINS First Name: DONNA Middle Name: MARIE
Sex: F Race: W Date Of Birth: 10/21/1944 Age: 71 Hair: BLN Eyes: HAZ Height: 506 Weight: 109
Charge Level: M (Misdemeanor)
ARREST
Arrest Date: 09/03/2016 Arrest Time: 1704 Arrest Agency: 1928 Agency Description: HAWTHORNE PD
Date Booked: 09/03/2016 Time Booked: 1933 Booking Location: 1928 Location Description: PD - HAWTHORNE
BAIL
Total Bail Amount: 100,000.00 Total Hold Bail Amount: 0.00 Grand Total: 100,000.00
HOUSING LOCATION
Housing Location: -
Permanent Housing Assigned Date: 09/03/2016 Assigned Time: 1933 Visitor Status: N
Facility:
Address: City:
Public Visiting Guidelines
For County facility visiting hours, Please call (213) 473-6080 at Inmate Information Center.
COURT
Next Court Code: Next Court Date: Next Court Time: 0000 Next Court Case:
Court Name:
Court Address: Court City:
RELEASE
Actual Release Date: 09/04/2016 Release Time: 1237
CASE INFORMATION
Second arrest information
Booking No.: 4773673 Last Name: HIGGINS First Name: DONNA Middle Name: MARIE
Sex: F Race: W Date Of Birth: 10/21/1944 Age: 71 Hair: BLN Eyes: HAZ Height: 506 Weight: 109
Charge Level: F (Felony)
ARREST
Arrest Date: 09/03/2016 Arrest Time: 1704 Arrest Agency: 1928 Agency Description: HAWTHORNE PD
Date Booked: 09/07/2016 Time Booked: 1510 Booking Location: 1928 Location Description: PD - HAWTHORNE
BAIL
Total Bail Amount: 100,000.00 Total Hold Bail Amount: 0.00 Grand Total: 100,000.00
HOUSING LOCATION
Housing Location: -
Permanent Housing Assigned Date: 09/07/2016 Assigned Time: 1510 Visitor Status: N
Facility:
Address: City:
Public Visiting Guidelines
For County facility visiting hours, Please call (213) 473-6080 at Inmate Information Center.
COURT
Next Court Code: Next Court Date: Next Court Time: 0000 Next Court Case:
Court Name:
Court Address: Court City:
RELEASE
Actual Release Date: 09/07/2016 Release Time: 1759
09/07/2016 Charges upgraded to vehicular manslaughter. Higgins was rebooked and released. Bail was not increased.
09/06/2016 Seems parents of dying babies needing organs have been contacting the family and asking for their baby's organs. The family already donated his organs. Please, stop calling the family. Hard to imagine parents Googling "dead baby" to try to find organs for their baby.
Donna Marie Higgins bailed out of jail on Sunday. This was before a charge for vehicular manslaughter could be added. She may end up back in jail if her bond is raised though I doubt it because of her age.
The parents donated their baby's organs in the hope that they can save another baby's life.
_____________________________
72 year old drunk driver Donna Marie Higgins ran into 15 year old and 15 month old baby as they were in a cross walk. The 15 year old aunt of the 15 month old baby is in stable condition. The baby Liam Mikael Kowal born May 25, 2015 was brain dead and removed from life support today September 4, 2016.
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| Marcus kowal, Mishel Eder, Liam Kowal, baby killed by drunk driver Donna Marie Higgins in Torrance, California |
Higgins was arrested on suspicion of felony drunk driving and felony hit-and-run. She was booked at the Hawthorne jail in lieu of $100,000 bail. As the baby died they will probably add vehicular manslaughter to the charge.
From the Torrance police.
http://hawthornepolice.com/press-releases-documents/2016/9/3/traffic-collision-arrest“On September 3rd, 2016 at approximately 4:15 pm, Hawthorne Police Department officers were dispatch to the instersection of 133rd street and Hawthorne Blvd in regards to a vehicle verse pedestrian traffic collision. Hawthorne Patrol Officers responded to the scene where they located two injured juveniles lying in the street near the crosswalk. One of the victims, a 15 year old female, was
suffering from what appeared to be leg injuries while a second victim, a 15 month old baby still in its baby stroller, was found pulseless and not breathing. Officers administered CPR to the critically injured baby while awaiting the arrival of LA Count Fire rescue units. Arriving rescue personnel took over the treatment of both victims and transported them to Harbor UCLA Medical Center. The 15
year old female is reported to be in stable condition while the baby is in ICU.
The Hawthorne Police Department Traffic Bureau responded to the scene to conduct its investigation. During the course of the investigation it was determined that the 15 year old female was pushing a baby stroller inside the crosswalk when a SUV, driven by a 72 year old female later identified as Donna Marie Higgins, drove through the crosswalk striking both victims. The driver of the SUV
then fled the scene northbound followed by witnesses to the crash. The witnesses followed Higgins for about a block before they were able to block Higgins’ vehicle with their own cars until police arrived on scene.
As part of our standard protocol in a crash of this nature, field sobriety tests were administered to Higgins. Following the investigation, it was determined that Higgins was driving a vehicle while intoxicated and she was placed under arrest for felony hit and run as well as felony drunk driving. Higgins was booked into Hawthorne jail on the above charges with a $100,000 bail.”
From the crime scene not graphic. The toddler was in a stroller when struck by the car.
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| Marcus kowal, Mishel Eder, Liam Kowal, baby killed by drunk driver Donna Marie Higgins in Torrance, California |
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| Marcus kowal, Mishel Eder, Liam Kowal, baby killed by drunk driver Donna Marie Higgins in Torrance, California |
I see a Donna Marie Higgins living near the crash site at 4769 W 141st St, Hawthorne, 90250-6821. The home is in a trust. Her husband's name was Owen Walter Strong. He was born January 6, 1953 in Michigan. He died in June 18, 2002. He was in the military 1970-1972. That Donna Higgins was born October 21, 1944 which matches age of suspect. The home is eight blocks from the crime scene.
Born in Gothenburg, Sweden, Marcus Kowal is a professional kickboxer, boxer, and mixed martial arts athlete.
Facebook page of Marcus Kowal.
https://www.facebook.com/marcus.kowalI will post a gofundme if when they set one up for funeral expenses.
Here is their gofundme. They want $100,000. They already have $20,000. I have no idea how much funerals for infants cost.
https://www.gofundme.com/2n9wr2jkSo sad. Here is their new baby registry.
http://registry.thebump.com/mishel-eder-marcus-kowal-may-2015-ca/10831816Mary Cummins of
Animal Advocates is a
wildlife rehabilitator licensed by the
California Department of Fish and Game.
Mary Cummins is also a licensed real estate appraiser in Los Angeles, California.
Mary Cummins, Mary K. Cummins, Mary Katherine Cummins, Mary Cummins-Cobb, Mary, Cummins, Cobb, real estate, appraiser, appraisal, instructor, teacher, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Brentwood, Bel Air, California, licensed, permitted, single family, condo, pud, hud, fannie mae, freddie mac, uspap, certified, residential, certified resident, apartment building, multi-family, commercial, industrial, expert witness, civil, criminal, orea, dre, insurance, bonded, experienced, bilingual, spanish, english, form, 1004, 2055, land, raw, acreage, vacant, insurance, cost, income approach, market analysis, comparative, theory, appraisal theory, cost approach, sales, matched pairs, plot, plat, map, diagram, photo, photographs, photography, rear, front, street, subject, comparable, sold, listed, active, pending, expired, cancelled, listing, mls, multiple listing service, claw, themls,
