A drunk driver who crashed her car while running from the Highway Patrol will serve a month behind bars.
The driver, Selina N. Burgess, 31, entered guilty pleas before Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley to charges of evading arrest, reckless endangerment and DUI. Her charges were all reduced to misdemeanors as part of her plea bargain. She was ordered to serve 30 days of an 11-month, 29-day sentence and must pay $600 plus costs, perform 32 hours public service work, undergo a drug and alcohol assessment, and lose her driver license for one year.
Her charges were brought after Trooper Gary Myers noticed Burgess’ gold Ford Focus weaving as she was traveling down Viola Highway. Myers, who was running radar from the parking lot of Rockilff Church, pulled in behind the motorist.
“It gained speed and was traveling 80 mph in a 55 roadway,” Myers recalled of the nocturnal chase. “I attempted to make a stop on the vehicle and it began to flee and a pursuit was initiated.”
Myers chased the Focus onto Highway 127, trying to get Burgess to stop. However, she refused to pull over.
“The impaired driver crashed the vehicle,” Myers said of the woman who ran off the road and crashed through a road sign before coming to rest. “Upon making contact with the driver after the crash, there was an obvious odor of alcohol on her breath.”
Burgess refused a blood test but was forced to give one under the new state law where tests can be ordered by warrant.