BELLE ROSE - A woman who was out on bond for a DWI arrest when she killed a man in a drunk-driving crash was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

Latasha Hicks, 46, took a deal from prosecutors in January, pleading guilty to a charge of vehicular homicide. This week, a judge gave her the maximum sentence for that charge.

According to State Police, Hicks was driving along Highway 70 in Belle Rose when she swerved and struck 28-year-old Brian Gros Jr.'s truck. Both were taken to an area hospital with severe injuries. Gros died shortly after the crash. 

Officials say Hicks blood-alcohol level was .190 at the time of the crash, more than twice the legal driving limit of .08. 

After the deadly wreck in 2020, the WBRZ Investigative Unit uncovered that Hicks had been arrested for DWI five times since 2006, including three in Ascension Parish.

Records show her prior arrests: 

2006, DWI arrest in Assumption

2011, DWI arrest in Ascension

2011, DWI arrest in Ascension

2012, DWI arrest in Ascension

2020, DWI arrest in Assumption after Gros' death.

According to the Ascension Parish District Attorney's Office, Hicks was out on bond for the 2012 arrest and had a bench warrant for her arrest at the time of the crash that killed Gros.