Repeat DWI Offender Back In Jail
GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. (WCCO) – A Plymouth woman who served a year in jail in a deadly hit-and-run crash is back in jail for probable cause DWI.
Taylor Rose Hohmann, 22, was arrested by Golden Valley police early Saturday morning. When officers took her into custody her blood alcohol was .208; more than 2.5 times Minnesota's legal limit.
"Obviously, she never learned from her mistakes," said a tearful Heather Rymer.
Heather's the widow of Michael Rymer, the father of three girls, who was killed back on March 20, 2010, in Crystal, Minn.
Hohmann was driving along West Broadway in Crystal when she struck and killed Michael Rymer, and then drove off without stopping. Hohamnn was later arrested and charged with criminal vehicular homicide and failure to stop and render aid.
Heather Rymer fought back tears as she relived the horrible knock on her door at 4 a.m. on that Saturday morning.
"You try not to think about it, and relive it, but it was two-and-a-half years ago today when I had police knocking on my door," Hearther Ryhmer said.
Leaving the scene of the accident that killed Michael Ryhmer, Hohmann was never charged with drunk driving. By the time she was arrested, prosecutors couldn't prove she was under the influence.
However, her criminal record shows two previous DUIs, along with drug possession, open bottle and underage drinking.
Hohmann pleaded guilty to the criminal vehicular homicide charge and was sentenced to five years in the Hennepin County workhouse, with four of those years suspended with good behavior. After nine months in the workhouse, Hohmann was released on probation in November 2011. Her probation requirements included she not consume alcohol and be law abiding.
"It's so unfortunate people are not learning their lessons on their first, second or third time even," said Mothers Against Drunk Driving executive director, Brenda Thomas.
Thomas said it's this kind of repeat offense that has MADD pushing for tougher laws to mandate ignition interlock devices for anyone convicted of driving drunk.
"We'll continue to watch that and hopefully be pushing for the first time offenders, over .08, to have an ignition interlock in their car," Thomas said. "That is the only way we're going to eliminate drunk driving."
"I don't want anybody else to go through this, she got off really easy," Heather Ryhmer said.
Hohmann will appear in Hennepin County Court on Sept. 24 on a probation revocation hearing.
The judge could immediately order Hohmann back behind bars to serve out the remaining four years of her original sentence.
