DWI Driver Who Killed Family Of 3 In Rt. 80 Crash Sentenced

MORRISTOWN, NJ — The driver in a fiery Route 80 crash that killed a family of three, including a pregnant woman, was sentenced to 21 years in jail on Friday, nj.com reported.

Bhavuk Uppal was sentenced to seven years for each death he caused during the July 11, 2015 crash. Edward Russell Hitt, 24, Briana Mae Anderson, 21, and their daughter Charlotte Regan Hitt, 18-months-old were killed in the crash. Anderson was five months pregnant at the time.

Uppal pled guilty to three counts of of second degree vehicular homicide earlier this year.

Uppal had two double shots of whiskey before driving his Cadillac Escalade into the family's Kia at 100 miles per hour. The Kia crashed into the car in front of it, causing the Kia to burst into flames. Two people in the third car were treated for non-life threatening injuries, while the Hitt family was pronounced dead at the scene.

Hitt, Anderson and their daughter, who were from Kentucky, were visiting family in New York at the time of the crash. The family was driving through Morris County at around 1:40 a.m. so their daughter would sleep during the car ride.

His lawyer reportedly said Uppal had been "self-medicating" to cope with depression and his parents' divorce. His license was indefinitely suspended at the time of the fatal crash, the result of 12 previous suspensions.

In addition to his lengthy list of traffic offenses, which included speeding and reckless driving, Uppal had been arrested six times for offenses including drug possession and theft.

• Cops: Drunk Driver Crashes, Kills 3 in Fiery Multi-Car Wreck on Route 80
• Woman Killed in Rt. 80 Crash Was Pregnant, Alleged Drunk Driver Arrested 6 Times
• 19 Tickets, 12 Suspensions in 2 Years for Alleged Drunk Driver in Triple-Fatal Crash
• Pregnant Mother, 21, Killed in Route 80 Crash Had 'Light That Glowed Bright'

This is a breaking news story. Refresh the page for updates.

Image via New Jersey State Police