Carmel Valley teen pleads guilty in deadly DUI crash

A Carmel Valley teen pleaded guilty to crashing her car while driving drunk, killing her passenger and injuring another driver.

The incident happened on July 12, 2018.

The driver, Margot McNally, 18, was driving with Anabelle Vandenbroucke when she crashed head-on into another car on Carmel Valley Road. Vandenbroucke died from her injuries six days after the crash.

McNally plead no contest in Tuesday’s hearing to vehicular manslaughter under the influence and no contest to driving under the influence causing injuries. According to prosecutors in this case that essentially means pleading guilty.

“There’s no winner hear today even with Ms. Mcnally pleading guilty and thankfully taking responsibility sparing the victims family a trial going through all of that,” prosecutor Meredith Sillman said.

Last July prosecutors say Mcnally drove home after a day of drinking at a local swimming hole with her friend Vandenbroucke. They say McNally was driving on Carmel Valley Road and crossed over the double yellow lines plowing into another car.

“We are just here on so many of these cases unfortunately that are completely avoidable,” Sillman said. “Every single time, not only has this ruined the Vandenbroucke’s life. McNally lost her best friend. The Vandenbroucke’s lost their daughter, but also the driver in the other vehicle had serious injuries, and it completely effected her life.”

Sarah Coleman, the driver of the other vehicle, sustained numerous serious injuries.

McNally will be sentenced to four years in prison on May 28.