Precious Murphy sentenced to 15 years in prison; accused of speeding off, crashing tow truck

Precious Murphy sentencing

MILWAUKEE -- She sped off and crashed a tow truck, seriously injuring several people -- and bit officers. On Friday afternoon, July 13, Precious Murphy learned she will spend 15 years in prison and another 12 years of extended supervision for the crimes.

Precious Murphy

Murphy, 29, accepted a deal in March to plead no contest to four of nine charges in connection with this case. Those charges include fleeing an officer, hit-and-run involving great bodily harm and taking and driving a vehicle without consent. The court dismissed five other charges. With this plea deal, Murphy avoided a trial.

"I was on drugs, it's not an excuse, but I was on drugs and I wish I could take it back -- I'm really sorry," Murphy said in court Friday.

Murphy sped away from an officer while driving a tow truck last September. At Pierce and Hadley in Milwaukee, she caused serious injury to three people. Murphy then ran to another car, forcing its driver out -- and bit an officer. A Taser and pepper spray did not stop her.

Crash involving tow truck in Riverwest

The next day, Murphy was tracked to a hospital 225 miles away.

On Friday, Murphy faced the victims she hurt as a result of this sequence of events.

Precious Murphy

"I can't forgive because my children were very hurt, and that's what I love the most in this life," said Maria Sotelo.

"Anxiety, depression, financial instability, medical bills amounting up to a million dollars if not more. This is some of the damages that my family has suffered," said Nereita Sotelo.

"There was a very good chance that this case wouldn't end up here; that it could have ended up in a homicide court due to the extensive injuries that Ms. Sotelo ended up suffering," said the prosecutor.

The sentencing will run consecutive to the sentence Murphy is already serving. When she committed this crime, she was already on probation for second degree recklessly endangering safety.