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Man gets nearly 20 years in prison for drunk driving crash that killed Beachwood teacher

Posted at 6:09 PM, Oct 30, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-30 18:09:13-04

CLEVELAND — A 31-year-old man will spend the next decade and a half behind bars for killing a beloved Beachwood math teacher in a drunk driving crash earlier this year.

According to the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor's Office, Sanford Doss pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide, aggravated vehicular assault and driving under the influence.

He was handed down a sentence of 16 to 19-and-a-half years in prison.

On March 30, Beachwood teacher Arthur Gugick, 59, and Barbara Becker hailed an Uber after attending the Cleveland International Film Festival.

Authorities said that Doss ran a red light and crashed into the Uber near South Woodland and Warrensville Center roads.

Gugick and Becker were transported to a nearby hospital and later died. The Uber's driver was treated for serious injuries that included a broken arm.

Doss was arrested at the scene of the crash. Investigators later determined that his blood-alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit. He was also driving 86 mph seconds before the crash and hit the Uber while going 57 mph.

Authorities found three bottles of liquor in his car.

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