Christine Embree: California designer Lindsay Turmelle sentenced to jail for fatally striking young mom
CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA: On August 7, 2022, tragedy struck Christine Hawk Embree, 35, while she and her infant daughter Delilah were riding an e-bike in Carlsbad, California.
At the intersection of Basswood Ave and Valley St, a Toyota 4-Runner driver collided with a mother and her daughter, causing serious injuries to Embree and leaving her critically ill.
Following the accident, Embree was transported to the hospital and unfortunately passed away, while miraculously, Delilah survived.
Lindsay Turmelle admitted to killing Christine Embree
A GoFundMe for Embree stated, "Miraculously, Delilah was thrown clear of the accident and with the help of a bicycle seat and helmet, came through unscathed."
Lindsay Turmelle, 43, was found guilty of reckless driving and given a 90-day sentence in county jail and 90 days of home detention on Thursday afternoon.
Turmelle stayed at the scene of the horrific collision, which happened only two minutes away from her $1.3 million home. Turmelle acknowledged in court on Thursday that she killed the mother by accidentally hitting her.
Although Turmelle's distraction theory was supported by the prosecution, there was insufficient evidence to support the theory that she was using her phone when the crash occurred.
Turmelle comforted Embree's family members seated in the courtroom with a heartfelt apology. "I cannot imagine what this has been like for you. I pray for your comfort. I pray for you to heal," she cried.
She went on to say, "I pray for your understanding and I've prayed for your forgiveness. I cannot compare what I am going through to what your family endures daily."
Numerous people in the courtroom broke down in tears after hearing her heartfelt apology; they were heard crying aloud at that very moment.
Joseph Hawk forgives his daughter's killer
The deceased woman's husband, Bob Embree, wrote a letter, which the deputy district attorney handling the case read aloud.
To avoid encountering the individual responsible for his wife's death, Mr Embree intentionally avoided attending the court proceedings. In a letter, he requested that Turmelle be given the maximum sentence of one year in prison.
Embree's father, Joseph Hawk, retorted, "If God and Christine have forgiven you why wouldn’t I forgive you," Mail Online reported.
On November 5, 2022, the celebration of life for the Carlsbad mother took place. In homage to Christine's creativity, those in attendance were encouraged to bring a small rock and their favorite photo of her.
A GoFundMe page was set up to collect funds "to help ease the burden of Bob and Delilah's shocking new normal." As of now, $146,446 has been donated to support Embree's husband and daughter.
These funds have been utilized for both her memorial service and the upbringing of her daughter.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Turmelle is employed in the clothing design industry, where she manages merchandising, sales, and marketing. Additionally, she claims to have established a successful clothing line.
