Drunken driver who killed his mother sentenced to 28 months

Posted to: Crime News Virginia Beach

By Duane Bourne
The Virginian-Pilot
© April 14, 2008

VIRGINIA BEACH

Robert Whitmore was speeding and had a blood-alcohol level three times the legal limit last year when he crashed his car and killed his mother, who was a passenger.

Whitmore, of Swallow Drive, was ordered to serve two years and four months in prison after he was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and drunken driving. His driver’s license was also revoked.

Monday, Whitmore, 30, told a judge that there was no worse punishment than knowing a his lapse of judgment had cost his mother’s life.

“Additional incarceration may not have any impact on your ultimate rehabilitation,” Circuit Judge Stephen Mahan said in announcing his decision. “However, in this unique case, the court is required to punish you. While the impact is limited to your family, there is still an impact on the community.”

Whitmore and his mother, Kem Hughes, were returning from dinner on Feb. 6, 2007, when Whitmore lost control of a 2006 Mercedes Benz in the 2000 block of Salem Road. The car traveled off the road and into a ditch, where it struck a concrete culvert, bounded into the air and landed on the roadway, prosecutors said.

Whitmore and Hughes were trapped in the wreckage. Whitmore survived his serious injuries. Hughes died of blunt force trauma to her head, chest and extremities, according to a report from the medical examiner. She was 46.

At the hospital, Whitmore registered a blood-alcohol level of .24. The car’s speedometer was frozen at 80 mph.

He will pay forever, not just 28 months is the point.

Submitted by angelak on Mon, 04/14/2008 at 9:07 pm.

Hey Rose, I agree, but what are YOU doing to go up against these judges? Are you a member of MADD or any other organization? Start one. Go up against your own cause rather than rant about someone else not doing it.

The guy killed his mom, not a stranger, and the fact is, it does matter.

Did the mother know her son

Submitted by melissa757 on Mon, 04/14/2008 at 9:00 pm.

Did the mother know her son was drunk when she got into the car with him? You should never knowingly get into a car with a drunk driver. How sad that this man only got 28 months. At least he has to live with what he did for the rest of his life.

Oh wow!! What a get tough on DUI stance!

Submitted by Rose on Mon, 04/14/2008 at 8:40 pm.

28 MONTHS! It amazes me when I see these DUI sentences issued by judges. I always hear about Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) wanting to get the allowable blood alcohol content reduced even further than the current .08. I hear about MADD going to Richmond about topless dancers at bars. But for some reason every time I read an article about a judge letting off a DUI murderer or giving a light sentence to a drunk that goes out and kills people with their cars, there's nothing but silence from MADD. Why is that? Could it be that they are so busy being diverted to issues that make NO gains in their cause that they miss the real problem? For crying out loud, this guy had a BAC of .28! over three times the limit! He killed his own mother. It very easily could have been my mother or maybe the judges mother or wife that this guy killed. Come on MADD! Let's see you take on the judges that gives these mean nothing sentences to these murderers instead of going after topless dancers. If other offenders see tough sentences imposed for DUI convictions, then maybe it will stop them from making the same mistakes.