Danielle Ward, 35, of Hope has pleaded guilty to several charges related to a fatal crash on Jan. 21,  2017 that claimed the lives of a Woolwich couple, Robert S. Martin, 70, and Carolyn W. Martin, 76.

Ward pleaded guilty after a motion to suppress her blood sample, taken the night of the crash, was denied by Justice Daniel Billings in February. The results of that blood sample showed Ward had drugs in her system at the time of the crash.  She pleaded guilty to two counts of Manslaughter, and one count each of Operating Under the Influence (drugs or combo), Aggravated Driving to Endanger, and Endangering the Welfare of a  Child.  In addition to the deaths of the Martins, Ward and several of the six children she was transporting in her vehicle were seriously injured.

According to prosecutor Jeffrey Baroody, the state and defense attorneys agreed to a plea deal that Ward’s prison sentence would be at most 10 years. The maximum sentence for Manslaughter alone would have been 30 years per count. Sentencing is expected in May.