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Newport News woman gets jail time for reckless driving death of good Samaritan

Posted at 6:58 PM, Feb 18, 2014
and last updated 2014-02-18 18:58:00-05

Newport News, Va. - Danielle Stappert will serve a month in jail on weekends for the reckless driving death of good Samaritan Richard Shomette.

Police said the 35-year-old mother was distracted by her kids in the back seat of her vehicle last September when she crashed into 22-year-old Shomette on Bland Boulevard.

Shomette stopped on the side of the road to help a family stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire.

A Newport News traffic court judge sentenced Stappert to 12 months in jail, but suspended 11 months, leaving her with a month to serve on the weekends.

Online court records said Stappert's license will be restricted for six months.

Judy Dunn, Shomette's grandmother, told NewsChannel 3 she would rather Stappert's license be permanently revoked instead of her receiving any jail time.

Attempts to reach Stappert for comment have not been returned.