Genoa City teen pleads innocent in OWI homicide case
Photo 
Krystal Hart
ELKHORN — The late Everardo Chimal-Lopez, a 54-year-old immigrant landscaper who lived in Delavan, is buried in Mexico.
Krystal A. Hart, a 16-year-old junior at Badger High School, faces a charge of homicide by intoxicated driving.
Chimal-Lopez’s surviving adult sons, Erik and Diego, are at a loss for words.
“It has been hard. There are really no words to express it,” Diego said Thursday after Hart’s arraignment hearing. “We can’t really put words around the situation.”
Hart, 438 Main St., Genoa City, is accused of having a blood alcohol concentration of 0.12 percent following the Nov. 3 crash on Highway H in Como. She is accused of driving her Mercury Sable north in the southbound lane and striking Chimal-Lopez’s Chevy Beretta head-on.
She told police she had been drinking at a friend’s house in Lake Geneva that evening. A marijuana pipe was found in the car, and she told police she used the drug about 10 hours before the crash, according to the criminal complaint.
Hart pleaded innocent Thursday afternoon. She faces up to 25 years in prison and fines totaling $100,000.
On the night of the crash, Erik and Diego, maintenance workers at Grand Geneva Resort, were waiting for their father to pick them up.
When he didn’t come, the brothers figured he had car trouble and started walking home. On their way, they came across the accident scene and recognized their father’s car.
They flew their father’s body to Mexico, where his wife and two teen daughters live.
“They are completely destroyed,” Diego said.
The brothers have no plans to leave Wisconsin. They have expenses and need to keep working, they said.
Hart sustained a broken right ankle in the crash.
Defense attorney Jim Martin declined to comment other than to say he still is reviewing accident reconstruction and blood test reports. He said Hart and her family would not be commenting to the press.
Hart is in court next on Wednesday, Feb. 20.
Dec 28, 2007 at 8:06 p.m.
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i agree with stiffening DUI penalties. a friend of mine has a brother who was arrested for his sixth DUI and was released from jail on bond the next day and got his sixth DUI a week later, went back to jail and got out on bond again and got his seventh DUI. he ended up in prison but for less than two years. its just lucky he never killed anyone in his exploits.
Dec 28, 2007 at 7:30 p.m.
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And as per the norm in WI with drunk drivers, she'll just get a slap on the wrist pretty much like billnewbie said. She wont even come close to recieving 25 yrs in prison (which should be the MINIMUM for a drunk killing someone while driving). She should be banned from driving for life too boot.
WI needs to quit coddling DUI drivers. Theres NO REASON that people should be allowed to drive again after they get a 2nd one much less these retards who get their 4th, 5th, 8th, 10th DUI's.
Dec 28, 2007 at 6:43 p.m.
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The next time this lawyer is quoted you will no doubt hear how this young woman made a terrible mistake and that ruining her life will not bring back the unfortunate Everardo and that probation or community service is all that should be required of Ms. Hart. I submit that the only mistake made here is that Ms. Hart assumed that nothing would happen and that she could handle a car after her alcohol and marijuana consumption. Now the worst possible result of her irresposibility has occured, a man is dead. Hopefully, Justice will be served.
Dec 28, 2007 at 3:58 p.m.
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dub190- r u kidding me? this girl was driving drunk and killed a man!! my brother was ran off the road and killed by a drunk driver,my life has never been the same...as far as the paper wanting you to feel bad ??? i didn't get that from this story.and one other thing why wouldn't you feel COMPASSION for his sons'?krystal hart wants too play big girl,shes needs to paid big girl price!!!!!
Dec 28, 2007 at 3:17 p.m.
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Why the drama part of the story? To me, the paper is trying to make us feel bad for this man's sons. Ok, I know I do, but why does the paper want me to?
Dec 28, 2007 at 2:37 p.m.
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