LI Driver Who Killed Cyclist Says Dead Woman Saved Her Life

Victim Kathryn Underdown

A Long Island woman was sentenced to one-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years in prison for fatally striking a cyclist while high on prescription drugs. But before the sentence was officially handed down, a sobbing Nicole Shellard had this to say about victim Kathryn Underdown, "You are my angel. I took your life, Kathryn, and you saved mine."

In 2010, Underdown, a 45-year-old hair stylist from Lake Grove, was riding her bike on a Sunday evening. Shellard, then 32, struck her in Miller Place and allegedly "tried to flee the scene and was stopped only because she crashed into another vehicle a tenth of a mile away." Underdown was pronounced dead at the scene while police found Shellard with dilated eyes, delayed response and "slow and slurred" speech. Shellard pleaded guilty last year and got a reduced sentence.

In court, Shellard said, "Kathryn, you saved me from the hellish life of addiction I was suffering. I believe you gave me my life back. Life is worth living now, as opposed to existing, as I was slowly committing suicide." Underdown's family was not impressed. Brian Underwood, a brother of the victim, told Newsday, "That was a joke. It was totally disrespectful to my family. Her death is my rehab -- it's very bizarre," and criticized the light sentence in court, "Is this what the maximum is for taking a beautiful person from the world? My sister's life is worth more than 11/2 to 41/2 years."

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By Jen Chung in News on January 18, 2012 3:29 PM

Comments [rss]

Mat50

"...and they so worshipped the motor vehicle that no matter what awful, arrogant atrocity was committed from behind the steering wheel, that it would automatically be minimized, dismissed and forgiven."

Danny Wade

I understand there are also recovering addicts out there who didn't have to kill someone and then leave them to die alone on the street in order to hit bottom and start their recovery. Pills can make you not control a car as well, so that you hit somebody. What they don't do is convert you into a person who can leave someone dead in the road afterwards. You have to already be that kind of person.

BigDaddy65

Her prison sentence is a friggin joke. Why is it that you can kill someone on a bicycle and receive such a lenient punishment? I cannot think of any other situation where someone could get off serving so little time for taking someone's life.

Opus the Poet

Because people that ride bicycles aren't really people in the true economic sense, because they aren't driving cars... Actually I think she would have gotten a harsher sentence for killing a dog if the dog was killed with something other than a car.

Ian Brett Cooper

Yeah, it's all about her. I wonder who's next in line to sacrifice him/herself to save this nutcase from her vices. It's at times like this when I wish there was such a thing as karma.

nicemarmot

Me! ME! ME!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...

AzzTech

Fuck her and her selfish egocentric attitude.

CurmudgeonNYC

This woman is a fucking loon and a stupid selfish asshole who deserves a lot longer than a couple years in jail.

swampyankeesmom

driving while high on pills and killing someone only gets you 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 years? how light is the sentence if you accidentally shoot someone cause you were high or drunk?

CrooklynDodgers

only one way to find out?

Mr. Know-It-All

Just imagine what a few more years in prison would have accomplished.

TheRealCannibal

She sounds like she's made a big change, I hope she stays sober.

BigDaddy65

I hope you're not serious! She is a junkie loser that put on her best sad/repentant act to get a short sentence, and it worked. Just imagine how much 'better a person' she might be if she had another 10 years in prison without access to drugs or alcohol.

heart045

I know Nicole very well. She was a co worker of mine for years. She is a loving and caring person who unfortunately was going thru a difficult time in her life when this happend. My heart goes out to Kathyrn's family.

TheRealCannibal

people battle addictions that make them do crazy things. Im not saying she is correct in any way in her actions. If what she is saying is truthful, and this terrible accident has made this woman turn her life around, than as awful as it is, a tiny bit of good could come out of it.

I know its not the popular opinion, and I give my condolences to the family of the victim, but you cannot tell if she is only acting, especially when the media only shows you certain sides to the story.

Do I think she should have gotten more time, given the circumstances? yes. Do I hope she stays sober? Yes!

Barbara Starkweather

Very noble of you to consider the well being of the person who ran over and killed an innocent person. Would have been nicer if you'd at least mentioned the victim.

Not sure if Nicole Shellard is truly sorry, or crying because she got caught and has to pay the piper. If she'd gotten away, like she tried to, she might be happily downing pills and driving now. (Please forgive my cynicism about courtroom displays of repentance).

Anyway, the sentence is typical. Gypsy Porfirio ran down two joggers (killing one) while high on Percocet and Xanex in Staten Island in 2010, and was sentenced to two to six years for vehicular homicide. So she could be out in two.

TheRealCannibal

"I give my condolences to the family of the victim"

Read before you comment next time.

Barbara Starkweather

What I read was "I give my condolences to the family of the victim, but...."

And that was buried in the middle of your second post. As if that makes you a remarkably empathetic human being.

I think your hero is full of s**t, and is crying because she got caught.

TheRealCannibal

she's certainly not my hero, I think you are reaching a bit there. She may be full of shit. All I'm saying is that it would be good if she turned her life around.

stop trying to start a fight, read things first.