A Mountain Brook man has been sentenced to prison in the 2023 DUI traffic crash that killed one of his passengers on U.S. 280.
Gabriel Alexander “Gabe” Uncapher, 22, pleaded guilty in November to reckless manslaughter in the death of 19-year-old Virginia Elizabeth “Cricket” Davis.He entered a plea to 16 years, but Jefferson County Circuit Judge Shanta Craig Owens on Monday rejected those terms and sentenced Uncapher to 17 ½ years in prison.The wreck happened at 2:20 a.m. Sunday, June 18, 2023, on U.S. 280 at Hollywood Boulevard.Uncapher was speeding and under the influence of alcohol and/or tetrahydracannibol – THC – when he crashed into a guardrail.
According to a civil suit filed against Uncapher, his father Dr. William Uncapher and Zydeco bar on Birmingham’s Southside, Uncapher and Davis attended a concert together there on Saturday, June 17, 2023. They left the bar in Sunday’s early morning hours.
With Gabe Uncapher behind the wheel of his 2000 Jeep Grand Cherokee, they crashed.
According to the civil suit, Uncapher lost control “due to his intoxicated condition and while operating a vehicle at an extremely high rate of speed, causing it to leave the roadway, strike a guardrail and violently roll over into some large trees.”
Davis, who was in the back seat, sustained blunt force injuries. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 2:23 a.m.
The deadly crash was investigated by Birmingham police.
Davis was a graduate of The Altamont School, where she was co-captain of the tennis team.
According to her obituary, she received many awards in voice and acting and sang a solo at graduation.
At the time of her death, she had just finished her freshman year at the University of Alabama where she was a member of Delta Zeta sorority.
Her mother, Lea Bone, previously told AL.com she was disappointed that the charge was not murder.
Uncapher was represented by Tommy Spina and Ben Preston.
The defendant was adopted by the Uncaphers when he was in elementary school. His biological mother was an addict.
“Today’s sentencing marks a tragic culmination of poor choices that reflect the complexities of the human experience and the profound impact of our environments and upbringing, especially on our youth,’’ Spina said.
“My client, a young man deeply shaped by a difficult childhood, as are so many others, has now been ordered to pay the price for his conduct,’’ he said.
Spina said Davis’s death left her family in indescribable grief, showcasing the devastating consequences of bad decisions.
“As we reflect on this tragedy, we must recognize the importance, especially for our youth, of support systems, mental health resources, and the need for guidance for the young people navigating life’s challenges,’’ Spina said.
“This case serves as a solemn reminder of the enduring repercussions of our actions and the urgent need to foster environments that enable positive choices in our youth.”
Uncapher was booked into the Jefferson County Jail at 9:32 a.m. Monday to await transfer to the Alabama Department of Corrections.
