Hernando County Jury Convicts Driver, Sentences Him to 30 Years in Deadly Crash
A Hernando County jury found 34 year old Corey Andrews French guilty of two counts of vehicular homicide, possession of a firearm by a felon, and violating an active domestic violence injunction, following a 2022 crash that killed a Brooksville mother and her infant. The verdict and a 30 year prison sentence matter to local residents because they address roadway safety, enforcement of court orders, and accountability for violent conduct in the community.
A Hernando County jury convicted 34 year old Corey Andrews French on October 23, 2025, of two counts of vehicular homicide, possession of a firearm by a felon, and violation of a domestic violence injunction. On November 21, 2025, Judge Daniel Merritt imposed a 30 year prison sentence following prosecution by the Fifth Judicial Circuit.
The convictions stem from a January 10, 2022 collision on U.S. 19 in Brooksville. According to court records, French drove through a red light, crossed the median and struck another vehicle. The driver of that vehicle, 35 year old Amber West, died at the scene. Her six month old infant later died from injuries sustained in the crash. During a tow inventory of French's vehicle officers located a firearm. Because French is a convicted felon and was subject to an active injunction at the time, possession of the gun resulted in an additional charge.
The case proceeded through the local court system with a jury trial that concluded in October. The outcome underscores several concerns for Hernando County residents. First, it highlights the human cost of dangerous driving on U.S. 19, a corridor that serves as a major artery for commuters and local commerce in Brooksville. Second, the presence of an active domestic violence injunction in this case raises questions about the enforcement and protective reach of such orders, and their role in preventing further harm.
For families who lost a loved one the verdict brings a measure of legal accountability, though not a reversal of the tragedy they endured. For public safety officials and policymakers the sentence may renew focus on traffic enforcement, intersection safety, and strategies to reduce fatal crashes. The Fifth Judicial Circuit handled the prosecution, and the sentence handed down by Judge Merritt reflects the gravity of multiple fatalities combined with illegal firearm possession while under judicial restriction.
As the community processes this case, residents and local leaders may look to strengthen prevention measures on busy roadways and to examine how court orders meant to protect vulnerable people are monitored and enforced.
