A 16-year-old Newburgh, Indiana girl was struck and killed by a motorist while out sledding at the Old Lock and Dam just after 10 p.m. the evening of Saturday, Jan. 14, 2018.
The young woman, who up until her death was enrolled at Castle High School, had apparently been sledding in the area off to the side of the road when her sled slid into the active Warrick County roadway. A short time later, a motorist approached, crashing into her as she lay on the ground.
By the time emergency crews arrived at the crash scene, the teenager had already passed away.
Police questioned the 20-year-old female driver of the car that had collided with the deceased teenager. Soon thereafter, they placed her under arrest on suspicion of drunk or drugged driving. She was also charged with driving under the influence (DUI) resulting in the endangerment of others.
As for defendant in this case, this fatal accident marks the second time in which she has been charged with the same crimes. Just one year prior, when she was 19, she was charged with DUI and endangering another after a different crash.
In that case, she entered a guilty plea to Class A misdemeanor charges. She was allowed entry into a Pre-Trial Deferral Program administered by Warrick County and ordered to attend at least one victim awareness program to learn more about the potential consequences of her actions.
Since she’d already spent a total of four days in jail at the time of her sentencing, the judge presiding over the case allowed her to serve out the remainder of her time on probation.
The day following the accident, officers diverted traffic from French Island Trail between State Street and Westervelt Drive as they continued investigating the collision. A spokesperson with the Newburgh Police Department warns that the investigation into the crash continues. He notes that it’s possible that more charges will be filed against the woman responsible for causing the teen’s death as well.
If you’ve been charged with a DUI, then it will impact many facets of your life. Without a license, it will be hard to get around. A conviction for such a crime may also impact your ability to obtain gainful employment. After learning more about the nature of your charges, an Indianapolis criminal defense attorney can advise you of your rights in your case.
Source: Courier & Press, “Newburgh teen dies in sledding incident,” Sarah Loesch, Jan. 14, 2018