Wednesday 13 May 2009

Ice dancing Champ Maxim Staviski Gets Suspended Sentence

TOKYO - MARCH 23: Gold medalist Albena Denkova...

This story is a tragedy! Maxim and Albana who is now his wife were cult heros with their ice-skating skills. Then the drink/drive took palce and Maxim's world fell apart along with the families of the victims. Maxim is not a bad person, but how many time does drink ruin people's lives? Such a shame and I'll say it again - A great tradegy.

World ice dancing champion Maxim Staviski will avoid prison for a fatal drunken-driving accident in 2007, drawing five years' probation in a suspended sentence.

Bulgaria's Supreme Court of Cassations on Tuesday suspended Staviski's original 2{-year sentence. The ruling cannot be appealed.

The 31-year-old Bulgarian was found guilty in January of crashing his car into an oncoming vehicle, killing a 23-year-old man and severely injuring an 18-year-old woman. Police records showed Staviski's blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit.

He was sentenced to prison but walked free pending his appeal. The skater also was ordered to pay $130,000 in compensation to the relatives of the victim and the injured woman.

Staviski and Albena Denkova won their second consecutive ice dancing title at the world championships in 2007.

www.usatoday.com
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
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