A Rapid City woman who pleaded guilty to killing a friend by running over her during an argument in a Walmart parking lot in 2019 has been sentenced to 25 years in prison.
51-year old Rochelle Seminole was given consecutive 15 year sentencing for vehicular homicide and aggravated assault, but suspended 5 years of the assault term.
Seminole had pleaded guilty last month to the charges the death of 37-year old Kimberly Clifford of Rapid City, taking a plea deal that dropped a charge of 1st-degree murder.
Court records show Seminole had a blood alcohol level more than three times the legal limit when she got into a noontime argument with Clifford.
Witnesses told police Seminole backed up and drove at Clifford, who got out of the way but was then hit and killed when Seminole backed up at her a second time. Most of the 23 witnesses said they felt it was intentional.
Seminole’s attorney said at sentencing that Clifford was the instigator in the argument and that hitting her was an accident, but that Seminole takes full responsibility for what happened
Seminole asked Clifford’s family to forgive her, saying she was sorry, never meant for it to happen, and would never run over somebody