LEXINGTON – A Louisville woman was sentenced to 40 years in prison in relation to a 2019 fatal crash that killed two women originally from Magoffin County, as well as the defendant’s sister.
On Thursday, September 22, a judge in Fayette County court accepted the prosecution’s recommendation to give Tammy Rodriguez, 45, of Louisville, 20 years in prison for each murder charge, to run consecutively, with the smaller sentencings for other charges to run concurrently with the 40-year term. She will be eligible for parole after 20 years.
Rodriguez pleaded guilty in April to two counts of murder and one count of manslaughter. Originally, she was indicted on three counts of murder, first-degree assault, wanton endangerment and driving without a license, which was amended down to two counts of first-degree murder, one count of second-degree manslaughter, and second-degree assault.
On September 4, 2019, Rodriguez was reportedly chased by the Winchester Police Department on I-75, when she made a sudden U-turn and began driving the wrong way on the interstate, inevitably hitting two other vehicles.
Rodriguez’s sister, Debbie Lynn Bevins, 35, of Pikeville, died at the scene of the wreck, and sisters Taylor Blevins, 26, and Caitlyn Bailey, 20, both of Georgetown and originally from Magoffin County, were also killed in the wreck.
In Clark County, Rodriguez is also facing five counts of first-degree wanton endangerment (police officer), first-degree fleeing or evading and reckless driving from the same police chase, with a pretrial hearing slated for October 13, as well.
Prior to the deadly 2019 wreck, Rodriguez had been convicted of drunken driving four times, as well as had prior convictions of endangering the welfare of a minor, public intoxication, prostitution, shoplifting and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Rodriguez is currently being held at the Fayette County Detention Center for the Kentucky Department of Corrections.
Editor’s Note: The indictment or charge of a person by a grand jury or otherwise is an accusation only and that person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
