Woman suddenly switches to guilty plea in drunk driving trial

CONROE, TX

Baukus was in the midst of her trial for intoxication manslaughter and assault, when she surprisingly changed her plea.

Prosecutors used video of an apparently inebriated Baukus, 24, staggering from a Montgomery County bar on June 29, 2012. They say her blood alcohol was .30, nearly four times the legal limit, when she collided with another vehicle.

Nicole Adams, 19, and Travis Ryan Saunders, 18, died. A third person, David Francisco Porras, 22 was injured.

The jury is now hearing testimony during the punishment phase. Porras gave emotional testimony about his friends and the crash that killed them drew tears from the jury.

"We want to give the victims' families a chance to get up there and talk about how their lives have been so dramatically changed as a result of the defendant deciding to have a few drinks," said a prosecutor.

Prosecutors add that until the trial, they say Baukus showed no remorse.

Baukus faces 50 years in prison -- 20 years for each count of intoxication manslaughter and another 10 years for intoxication assault.

Find Tom on Facebook at TomAbrahams or on Twitter at @tomabrahams

Copyright © 2024 KTRK-TV. All Rights Reserved.