The woman charged in a DUI crash in Lexington that killed a Louisville police officer and UK employee first told officers that an unknown person was driving her car, according to court documents obtained by LEX 18.
Police say that Suzanne Whitlow had a blood-alcohol content of three times the legal limit when officers say she crashed her car on South Upper Street, hitting and killing UK employee Timothy Moore and Louisville Detective Jason Schweitzer. Both men were on the sidewalk when hit by the car.
The crash happened back in October.
http://liarcatchers.com/wrongful_death.html
A grand jury indicted Whitlow in February on manslaughter, DUI, and persistent felony offender charges.
Whitlow’s attorney wants the blood test results thrown out. Whitlow’s blood was drawn at the hospital under a judge’s court order.
Court documents say that her attorney filed a motion back in April in which he argues ‘the blood test results that were obtained were done so without the consent of the defendant and in violation of her rights.”
In the prosecutors’ response earlier this month, they say the blood drawn ‘was lawfully obtained as a search warrant and court order are synonymous.’
Additional court records spell out why police got the court order to take her blood. An officer states he ‘immediately observed a strong odor of alcoholic beverages’ and that ‘Whitlow exhibited very slurred speech and her ability to communicate was choppy’. The officer also stated ‘she explained an unknown person was driving her vehicle.’
But then she said she may have been driving.
In her arrest citation, Whitlow told officers she had consumed Vodka drinks the night of the crash.
According to court records, police found a beer can on the driver’s floorboard and a pack of beer behind the driver’s seat.
The hearing on the evidence is scheduled for Thursday at 10 a.m.
