Woman sentenced to 4 years for fatal drunken driving crash

Britni N. Ulam pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and OVI in the death of her passenger, Frank Walter

Mar. 19, 2026 at 4:18am

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Britni N. Ulam, 36, was sentenced to 4 years in prison for a drunken driving crash in November 2024 that killed her passenger, Frank Walter, 31, of Cortland. Ulam's blood alcohol level was more than 4 times the legal limit, and she also had benzodiazepines and opiates in her system. Walter's family members spoke at the sentencing, expressing forgiveness and a desire for Ulam to get help and have a good life moving forward.

Why it matters

Drunken driving crashes continue to be a major public safety issue, with alcohol-impaired driving fatalities accounting for over 10,000 deaths per year in the U.S. This case highlights the devastating impact these incidents can have on victims' families, as well as the challenges of balancing accountability and rehabilitation for offenders.

The details

According to the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the crash occurred around 1:24 AM on November 3, 2024 as Ulam was driving a 2006 Nissan Xterra SUV northbound on State Route 46 at a high rate of speed. Ulam failed to navigate a curve near the Tamer Win Golf Course driving range, drove off the right side of the road, struck a ditch, then a culvert, and the vehicle overturned several times, ejecting both Ulam and Walter. A southbound vehicle then struck Walter, who was lying in the road, resulting in his death. Neither Ulam nor Walter were wearing seatbelts.

  • The crash occurred at 1:24 AM on November 3, 2024.
  • Ulam was hospitalized from November 3 to November 27, 2024 with serious injuries including a fractured neck, back, ribs, pelvis, scapula and a surgically reconstructed left foot and collapsed lung.
  • Ulam was in a wheelchair until February 2025.

The players

Britni N. Ulam

A 36-year-old woman with addresses in Warren and Niles, Ohio who pleaded guilty to aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence in the crash that killed her passenger, Frank Walter.

Frank Walter

A 31-year-old man from Cortland, Ohio who was killed in the crash. He was the passenger in Ulam's vehicle.

Eric Walter

The brother of Frank Walter, who spoke at the sentencing and expressed forgiveness for Ulam, saying he wants to see her have a good life and learn from this.

Lisa Keenan

The mother of Frank Walter, who spoke at the sentencing about the difficulty of losing her son and expressed a desire to forgive Ulam.

Marina Walter

The sister of Frank Walter, who spoke at the sentencing and said she wants to see Ulam get help and be held accountable so something like this doesn't happen again.

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What they’re saying

“I just want to say I am so, so sorry that we are even here today. If I could change places with Frank for him to be here today, I would.”

— Britni N. Ulam

“I want to see you have a future, that my brother did not pass away for nothing. I want to see you have a life and live it out for him.”

— Eric Walter, Brother of Frank Walter

“Any time he fell down, he got back up. He never let anyone — for long — keep him down. And I hope the same thing happens with Britni, that she doesn't let anybody keep her down for long. He wouldn't want that.”

— Lisa Keenan, Mother of Frank Walter

“I don't want to see your life ruined either.”

— Marina Walter, Sister of Frank Walter

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Britni N. Ulam out on bail during her 4-year prison sentence.

The takeaway

This tragic case underscores the devastating human toll of drunk driving and the importance of accountability, rehabilitation, and community support for both victims and offenders. While nothing can undo the loss of Frank Walter, the compassion and forgiveness expressed by his family members provides a powerful example of the path forward in addressing this persistent public safety issue.