One person in Colorado has been arrested for drinking and driving. The arrest of the 47-year-old woman on DUI charges took place on a recent Tuesday evening. It happened following a motor vehicle crash that the woman allegedly caused.
According to police, the woman was driving a sport utility vehicle west on a county road. She then came across a herd of sheep. At a little past 6:40 p.m., she reportedly struck the herd. As a result of the collision, 38 sheep died, and 12 suffered injuries. Authorities did not know how many sheep were on the county road at the time of the accident.
Police suspected that the woman was driving under the influence when the crash happened. They said that following the crash, she drove away. Police apparently found her vehicle’s front license plate at the crash scene and thus were able to track her down. The woman now faces DUI charges as well as charges for not staying at an accident scene and not having car insurance.
The woman facing DUI charges has the right to go to trial to fight these charges. At trial, prosecutors must prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt or else no conviction can be secured. However, she may instead decide to take advantage of a plea deal with the prosecution, if one is made available. A plea agreement may offer the benefit of leading to a lighter sentence for the accused that she might incur if convicted after a jury trial. The criminal defense will pursue an outcome that is ultimately in the defendant’s best interests in Colorado.
Source: krdo.com, “Suspected DUI driver plows through herd of sheep, killing 38“, Chris Loveless, Nov. 18, 2015