VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A man who was found guilty of killing a woman and injuring another while driving under the influence of marijuana near Town Center in 2022 will spend seven years in prison.
On Tuesday, Nathan Poole, a 26-year-old from Chesapeake, was sentenced to four years for involuntary manslaughter, two years for DUI maiming and one year for DUI.
Watch previous coverage: Chesapeake man guilty of marijuana DWI near Town Center that left woman dead
On Aug. 22, 2022, Poole got behind the wheel after using marijuana, prosecutors said. While Poole was driving in the Town Center area, he hit two women: Rosa Blanco and her cousin Concepcion Blanco.
The cousins were leaving a restaurant after celebrating Rosa’s birthday, prosecutors added. They said the women were crossing the street when Poole hit them.
Rosa died at the scene, and while Concepcion survived, she was hospitalized for five weeks and has severe, permanent injuries, prosecutors said.
Watch related coverage: Man charged with DUI following deadly crash on Shore Drive
Video surveillance shows Poole’s vehicle rolling over the women without braking, prosecutors noted.
Police say they conducted field sobriety tests — which indicated that Poole was impaired — and noted that he smelled like burnt marijuana. He admitted using marijuana the morning of the crash, and a toxicology report showed that the level of THC in Poole’s blood indicated “recent use,” police say.
