Omaha woman sentenced to three years for motor vehicle homicide

Omaha, Nebraska – An Omaha resident, Lorena Lara-Diaz, who was convicted of motor vehicle homicide in August, has been sentenced to three years in prison. This verdict comes after her involvement in a fatal incident that took the life of 45-year-old Gary Mangiameli.

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Lara-Diaz’s defense had hoped for leniency, drawing attention to her status as a mother of seven children and expressing her deep remorse over the incident. They had urged the judge to consider the sentence as ‘time served.’ However, the prosecution had a different perspective, pressing for the harshest sentence possible. They highlighted that on the night of the accident, Lara-Diaz had consumed between four to five drinks at a bar before striking Mangiameli, who was riding his motorcycle.

Cody Miltenberger, the defense attorney for Lara-Diaz, commented on the court’s decision, indicating that he wasn’t taken aback by the verdict. He also discussed his client’s decision to decline the field sobriety test, noting the uncertainty it brought to the case. Miltenberger stated, “There was some discussion about… what my client’s blood alcohol content was… Unfortunately, it turned out the way that it did.”

The deceased’s family also had their say in court. Richard, Mangiameli’s uncle, representing the family’s sentiments, believed Lara-Diaz’s actions merited a sterner 20-year sentence. Emphasizing the void left behind by his nephew’s demise, he pointed out, “He’s got the two babies… They aren’t going to have a dad that they can go to.”

Adding to the family’s pain, there’s frustration regarding the absence of a precise measure of Lara-Diaz’s blood alcohol content on the fateful night.

Taking into account her time already spent behind bars, 241 days will be deducted from Lara-Diaz’s prison term. Furthermore, after completing her sentence, the 38-year-old woman will be subjected to 18 months of supervised release.