Drunk driver gets 30 yrs for killing Indian couple

BY A STAFF WRITER

SAN MATEO, CA — Marjorie Reitzell, who killed Indian American couple Kamal and Balbir Singh in 2013 while she was driving drunk, received a 30-year prison sentence on July 8 in San Mateo County, Calif., Superior Court.

In addition to the two second-degree murder convictions, Reitzell was also found guilty by a jury in May of two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter and drunk driving.

San Mateo County Superior Court Judge Robert Foiles delivered the sentence, noting that Reitzell had previously been convicted in 2012 of drunk driving and was on probation for the previous crime.

On the evening she killed the Singhs, who were out walking their dog in Menlo Park, Calif., a mixed residential and business neighborhood, Reitzell’s blood alcohol count was more than three times the legal limit.

During the May trial, the 55-year-old woman said she had drunk three small bottles of brandy throughout the day, which would not have impaired her judgment.

Reitzell testified that the Singhs’ dog, Teddy, jumped out in front of her car, and she swerved to avoid hitting the dog, smashing into the Singhs from behind. She then swerved into the center divider and hit an oncoming car, injuring four teenagers.

The Singhs were pronounced dead at the scene. Prosecutors at the trial said the brutal impact of Reitzell’s vehicle hitting the Menlo Park couple caused dismemberment of their bodies.

Reitzell was taken into custody on October 24 last–on the evening of the incident–but reportedly suffered from an undisclosed illness that kept her confined to a jail hospital. She repeatedly missed arraignment, reportedly on account of her illness, but finally made an appearance in court on November 12 and entered her plea.

She was held on $2 million bail.

The Singhs, who had lived in the US for over two decades, had three children, Komal, Shalveer and Rema, who were orphaned by the incident. The children are now being cared for by relatives.
Balbir Singh worked as a senior materials specialist at the start-up biotech company, AngioScore Inc. Kamal Singh worked at Walgreens.