PARIS — A 19-year-old Fryeburg woman pleaded guilty to charges Tuesday stemming from a fatal hit-and-run accident last spring that left a woman dead.

Tiffeny M. Hamlyn appeared in Oxford County Superior Court and was charged with manslaughter, aggravated criminal operating under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident. Under the terms of a plea agreement, she was sentenced to serve three years in prison out of a total underlying sentence of 18 years with six years of probation.

Hamlyn was driving a 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee on Route 113 on the evening of March 26 when she struck 23-year-old Tiffany Hamilton outside her Fryeburg home. Hamilton, who suffered severe head trauma, died of her injuries the next day at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston.

Investigators determined that Hamlyn was operating the vehicle after receiving an anonymous tip and observing damage to the Jeep at her residence on Shepards River Road in Brownfield. The DNA in blood found on the vehicle also matched Hamilton's.

In a statement to police, Hamlyn said she had taken her eyes off the road to adjust the radio while driving on Route 113 and thought she had hit a pothole or mailbox after hearing a noise. Hamlyn stated that she heard about the accident on a scanner at her home, became upset, and drank vodka before going to bed. When her blood alcohol content was tested four hours after the accident, it registered .17 percent, more than twice the legal limit of .08 percent.

Assistant District Attorney Joseph O'Connor said officer Michael Hall and Chief Philip Weymouth of the Fryeburg Police Department determined that Hamlyn had been drinking heavily throughout the day of the accident after interviewing witnesses, including students and a teacher at Fryeburg Academy. O'Connor said some of Hamlyn's friends said she was driving while intoxicated, and that one friend drove in front of Hamlyn earlier in the day so she could flash her lights at oncoming traffic if Hamlyn lost control. O'Connor said one witness claimed Hamlyn was drinking orange juice and water after the accident and "trying to make it look like she was not drunk."

Police also found a number of text messages indicating that Hamlyn had been drinking, including one in the morning reading, "My mom doesn't even care that I'm drinking right now. She's just making fun of me." After the accident, one text message read, "I just killed someone. She died, and now I'm pretty much waiting for the cops to come."

Three relatives and friends of Hamilton spoke to Justice Donald Marden before the plea agreement was read.

"My daughter was a friendly, happy, kind, sweet, loving young lady," said Becky Warren, Hamilton's mother, "and I love and miss her so much."

Warren said Hamilton's death left her 3-year-old son, Blake, without a mother and that Hamilton would never be able to see him grow up. She also said she did not believe Hamlyn had shown any remorse for the accident.

"She needs to sit in jail for a long time, and hopefully someday she will realize that she is there because she killed my child," Warren said.

Christina Mayo, Hamilton's best friend, also had harsh words for Hamlyn.

"I truly hate you," Mayo said. "And I hope what we have said hurts you as much as you have hurt us. And when you look in the mirror, I hope you see an empty soul. And I wish you had to feel what we feel every day of our lives."

Defense lawyer Edward Dilworth said Hamlyn has taken full responsibility for the crimes and expressed his belief that she will be able to successfully complete her probation. Hamlyn also addressed the court.

"I'm not going to be able to go back in time and change what I did, but I wish I could," she said. "I'm truly sorry."

Hamlyn was sentenced to 13 years in prison, all but three years suspended, and four years of probation on the manslaughter charge. She was also given a fully suspended five-year sentence for leaving the scene, and a concurrent three-year sentence on the OUI charge. Hamlyn must also pay a $2,100 fine, and her driver's license will be suspended for 10 years.

 During probation, Hamlyn must not use alcohol or illegal drugs and submit to random searches for the substances. She must also have no contact with Hamilton's family and undergo substance-abuse counseling.

O'Connor said the sentence aims to deter further criminal activity while not diminishing the severity of the charges. He said the messages from the day of the accident indicated that Hamlyn's family and friends were acting as "enablers" in her drinking.

"She's going to have to change her life, or her life will be changed for her," he said.

Marden criticized the witnesses who saw Hamlyn impaired but did not do anything to try to report her or stop her from driving.

"Every one of those persons who saw Tiffeny Hamlyn get behind the wheel, knowing full well her condition, is responsible, morally and ethically, for the death of Tiffany Hamilton," he said.

mlangeveld@sunjournal.com