Man get maximum time in emotional sentencing for Halloween death

A Las Vegas man was given the maximum eight- to 20-year prison sentence for a drunken driving crash last year on Halloween that killed a 12-year-old girl while she was trick-or-treating.

More than two dozen family and friends of Faith Love attended the emotional sentencing hearing Monday, which left nearly everyone in tears, including Judge Elissa Cadish.

The driver, Justin Caramanica, 42, wept throughout the hearing.

During a 15-minute photo tribute of Faith, which showed her toothy smile throughout her life, Caramanica turned away in tears but forced himself to watch.

Faith’s mother and grandfather both spoke during the hearing and asked Cadish to hand down the maximum sentence.

‘UNTHINKABLE NIGHTMARE’

Rocquell Love said her daughter was one of her greatest accomplishments. She said she felt as if she had been “mistakenly thrown into an unthinkable nightmare. It doesn’t seem real.”

She said she had let Faith go trick-or-treating with friends that Halloween night, while she stayed home with her younger son.

When she received the phone call that her daughter had been struck by a car, Love said her heart sank.

“I am forever changed because of this irresponsible stranger that found us,” she said.

During a brief statement, Caramanica, who has two daughters himself, apologized to Faith’s family and said, “If I could have been the one injured that night, I would have been.” He added that he was haunted by nightmares of what happened.

Cadish called the case a tragedy. Before sentencing him to the maximum prison time allowed by law, the judge pointed out that Caramanica had been released on bail while awaiting sentencing but disobeyed Cadish’s order that he not drive a car.

Caramanica was in another accident while out on bail. After that crash he was returned into custody at the county jail. Criminal charges in that case are being reviewed by the district attorney’s office, records show.

Caramanica pleaded guilty in July to driving under the influence causing death for the crash that killed Faith. A second charge of reckless driving was dismissed.

FAILED SOBRIETY TESTS

A Las Vegas police report showed he failed several field sobriety tests after the crash. A breath test taken nearly three hours after the crash revealed blood alcohol readings of 0.068 and 0.067, according to the report. The legal limit for a blood alcohol reading under state law is 0.08.

The crash happened about 8:20 p.m. Oct. 31, 2011, at Sandstone Bluffs Drive and Wesley Lake Place in Summerlin. The police report indicated Caramanica had slurred speech, glassy eyes, dilated pupils and was taking prescription drugs.

He performed “unsatisfactorily” on sobriety tests, including failing to walk a straight line, according to the report.

Prosecutor Steve Waters said Caramanica was also under the influence of marijuana and several prescribed drugs, including oxycontin.

Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.