A judge sentenced WWE legend Tammy Sytch to 17 years behind bars on Monday for her role in a 2022 car crash that killed 75 year-old Julian Lasseter.
The verdict was read in a Volusia County, Florida, courtroom a full three months after Sytch pled no contest to one felony count of DUI causing death, among other charges, TMZ reported. The 50-year-old sat shackled and wore an orange jumpsuit as she learned of her fate, according to the outlet.
She cried during her speech and addressed the victim’s family directly. “I know my words are not enough but please know that I think about you every day,” she said, according to video published by TMZ.
“I feel the regret and remorse deep inside my soul,” she told the court amid a flurry of tears and a lengthy apology.
The hearing lasted several hours and featured testimony from a number of people connected to the case, including a medical expert who provided an evaluation of the former wrestling star, according to TMZ.
Sytch, known to her fans as “Sunny,” was elected to the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011, the outlet noted.
The ex-wrestler slammed into Lasseter’s car while he was stopped at a red light in March 2022, TMZ reported. It was later determined that she had a blood alcohol level of .085 or higher, according to the outlet. She faced eight charges in relation to the case with a possible sentence of 25 years, per TMZ.
Sytch initially pleaded not guilty to all charges, but then altered her plea after making a deal with prosecutors in August, the outlet reported.
The hall-of-famer had previously been arrested for impaired driving at least six times prior to this incident, per TMZ. (RELATED: Video Appears To Show Famous Actress Getting Arrested For DUI)
The judge ordered Sytch to serve an additional eight years of probation following the completion of her prison term, the outlet noted. Her driver’s license has been permanently revoked, according to TMZ.
