HOLLAND TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXMI) — An Ottawa County woman charged in a deadly crash that killed her three young children entered a new plea in court Monday.
Leticia Gonzales originally pleaded no contest in April to one count of operating while intoxicated causing death. In exchange, two other charges were dropped.
But after meeting with her attorney, Gonzales decided to withdraw her plea.
Gonzales made the decision after the judge said he intended to sentence her to 48 to180 months in prison with credit for 41 days previously served.
On Monday, Gonzales entered a new no contest plea to three charges of operating while intoxicated causing death. She's scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 25.
The deadly crash happened on Feb. 17, 2022, on James Street in Holland Township.
Investigators say the SUV Gonzales was driving hit a curb, overturned and landed upside down in a retention pond. Authorities said the retention pond was about 3 feet to 4 feet deep and frozen over with about a half-foot of ice at the time.
Four-year-old Jerome Gonzales, 3-year-old Jeremiah Gonzales and 1-year-old Josiah Gonzales all died as a result of the crash.
Court documents obtained by FOX 17, WXYZ's Grand Rapids sister station, revealed that methadone was detected in the mother's blood following an analysis of a sample taken after the crash.
Methadone is used to treat pain or narcotic drug addiction.
According to court documents, Gonzalez admitted to deputies that she took it regularly as part of a treatment program.
She ingested her "normal dose" of methadone at a licensed facility the morning of the crash but afterward, she asked to "borrow a dose" of it from someone else. They told deputies she had to come to them before while being "dopesick" and asked about methadone that they had access to.
Deputies say Gonzalez picked up the extra dose of methadone from the other person's home with her three children in the car. The crash was reported shortly afterward.
