Victoria Barry
Family Mourns Woman Killed
May 23, 2011
A Colorado Springs family is mourning the loss of a daughter, a woman who also leaves behind a young daughter.
Lilly Duncan, 31, was killed last weekend in a wrong way crash on Interstate 25 and police say the driver who hit her was drunk.

Now her mother Diana Smith is telling her daughter’s story.
"I got the news that my daughter was killed in Denver by a driver going the wrong way on the interstate, it’s just like how can that happen,” Smith said.

Lilly Duncan was killed on May 14. Police say 26-year-old Victoria Barry was driving south bound in the northbound lanes of I-25 near downtown Denver.

Diana says because of the actions of one person her family has been torn apart, and Lilly's 12-year-old daughter Dyrah will grow up without a mother.
"She's not going to be there when she gets married, or has a baby,” Smith says.

Dyrah is no stranger to tragedy. Her father was killed when she was only 9 years old and still with everything she has had to endure she’s thinking about others.
"Even though the girl did a wrong thing that doesn’t make her mean," she said.

Victoria Barry, the accused drunk driver, was injured in the accident. She was released from the hospital on Friday and arrested for vehicular homicide, reckless driving and driving under the influence. Formal charges are expected to be issued this week.
[...]
http://www.kktv.com/news/headlines/W...122430674.html
Lilly Duncan

Victoria Barry charged in wrong-way crash that killed Lilly Duncan, leaving daughter an orphan
May 27 2012
Victoria Barry, 26, has been formally charged with two counts of vehicular homicide and DUI in relation to a crash on I-25.

Lilly Duncan, a 31-year-old Colorado Springs mom, died in the incident, leaving her daughter Dyrah, twelve, without a living parent. Her father died when she was nine.

This information comes courtesy of Colorado Springs-based KKTV, which aired a heartrending interview with Dyrah and Lilly's mom, Diana Smith.
Diana spends much of the conversation in tears. As for Dyrah, she seems shell-shocked, which makes perfect sense -- but she offers one comment that shows uncommon maturity under these terrible circumstances. "Even though the girl did a wrong thing, that doesn't make her mean," she says.

The Denver District Attorney's Office certainly sees wrong in Barry's behavior. Its charges against her allege that just shy of midnight on May 14, she was drunk as she drove southbound in the northbound lanes of I-25 near the Downing exit. That's where she hit Duncan's car as well as a second vehicle. Duncan was pronounced dead at the scene.

Barry's next court appearance is scheduled for June 3, when she'll be formally advised of the charges against her. Right now, she's free on a $25,000 bond.
[...]
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword...lly_duncan.php
Victoria Barry nearly triple legal alcohol limit when wrong-way crash killed Lilly Duncan
june 15 2012
One of the most shocking incidents of May 2011 involved the wrong-way crash that killed Lilly Duncan, a 31-year-old Colorado Springs mom, leaving her daughter Dyrah, then twelve, without a living parent. Victoria Barry was arrested for the crime -- and while her conviction on most of the counts against her provides closure for Lilly's loved ones, it hardly compensates for their loss.

As we reported last year, Dyrah and Lilly's mom, Diana Smith, were emotionally devastated in media appearances following the crash. Diana tearfully noted that Lilly wouldn't be there when Dyrah got married or had a child, while Dyrah demonstrated amazing maturity for someone in her position when she said,"Even though the girl did a wrong thing, that doesn't make her mean."

True enough -- but the repercussions of her actions early on May 14 of last year were undeniably cruel. According to the arrest warrant affidavit on view below, a dark blue Lexus driven by Barry was traveling southbound in the northbound lanes of Intersate 25. One driver was able to swerve out of the way, but others weren't so lucky. The Lexus soon struck a gold Nissan driven by Duncan, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The collision then caused the Lexus to spin into a third vehicle, a red Mercury SUV containing Christopher Saenz, Marsha Barela and Jason Maez, the latter of whom was just eight years old. All three had to be transported to a hospital, but fortunately, their injuries were minor.

[...]
A jury didn't convict Barry on every charge against; she was found not guilty of a third-degree assault accusation. However, she was convicted on an identical charge in addition to two counts of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence. At this writing, her next court date hasn't been set. However, she faces up to twelve years behind bars.
http://blogs.westword.com/latestword...lly_duncan.php