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Former bridge tender convicted in woman's death admits to violating probation

Artissua Lafaye Paulk failed urine drug test
Artissua Lafaye Paulk appears in West Palm Beach Court 01242024.png
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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — The woman convicted of manslaughter in connection with the death of a West Palm Beach woman crossing a bridge is awaiting another sentence for a different crime.

Artissua Lafaye Paulk, 45, of Greenacres, was in a Palm Beach County courtroom Wednesday morning and admitted to violating her probation. The violation was a failed urine drug test.

Paulk was already serving eight years of probation for a manslaughter charge in the death of Carol Wright.

Wright died in February 2022 when she was walking her bike across the Royal Park Bridge in downtown West Palm Beach.

Paulk was working as a bridge tender at the time, and police said she hadn't checked the bridge before opening it.

A judge accepted the admission of violating the probation and said the next step would be to set a sentencing date.

The minimum sentence she could face is about nine years in prison.

A hearing has been set for April, at which time Paulk could learn her fate.