After serving 8 months of a 1- to 5-year prison sentence, a three-time DUI convict who was involved in a collision that took the life of a pregnant woman made a failed attempt to get out of jail early.

Bruce Stanko, 53, of Hampton Township, Allegheny County, on Monday cited business and family concerns in asking Butler County Judge George Hancher to parole him early.

Stanko told the judge that his business, once identified as a multimillion dollar pharmaceutical company, was failing in his absence.

Stanko said his family lost their home and possessions. So bad are the finances, he said, that the family's heat was turned off this winter.

Stanko said his oldest son dropped out of college to run the business, U.S. Pharmacare of Erie County.

His youngest son joined the Air Force and was deployed. And his daughter was the victim of an assault a month ago.

Stanko, who said he's attending all counseling available to him in jail, said he needs to be out of jail to deal with his private and business crisis.

But the family of Linda Jenkins was on hand to respond.

Jenkins, 28, was on her way to work when her car collided with Stanko's Mercedes-Benz on BonniebrookRoad in Summit Township.

Jenkins and her unborn son died.

Stanko's blood-alcohol level was more than double the legal limit at the time of the crash. Yet, he successfully argued to a jury that Jenkins, who was five months pregnant, crossed the centerline and caused the deadly collision.

Stanko was convicted of DUI, but acquitted of homicide by vehicle.

The judge said he denied the parole request because it would free the defendant earlier than the state mandatory minimum would allow.