By Sarah Pridgeon
Sundance Times
Via Wyoming News Exchange
SUNDANCE — A Crook County woman has been charged on two counts of aggravated homicide by vehicle following a crash last week that was initially attributed to driver inattention.
According to court reports, Leslie Raber was arrested on August 4 at around 3:25 p.m. by a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper. Around 90 minutes before the arrest, the trooper was patrolling on U.S. 212 when he was informed of an injury crash near milepost 19, near the Montana state line.
While en route, the trooper was informed that the crash may have resulted in a fatality. At 2:17 p.m., he arrived on scene to find a green trike motorcycle upside down with heavy front end damage and a white SUV with heavy passenger side damage.
The trooper reports that this indicated a possible “t-bone” type of collision. A short distance to the southeast was a deceased female subject, identified by Highway Patrol as Nancy Robinson, a 54-year-old resident of Bloomfield, Indiana.
According to court reports, roadway evidence suggested that the SUV had been making a left hand turn and the motorcycle had been traveling eastbound prior to the crash. The violent forces of the collision allegedly resulted in the SUV being rotated 180 degrees, coming to rest facing a northerly direction.
The trooper states in his report that he made contact with the driver of the SUV, identified as Raber, and asked what had happened. Raber allegedly stated she was waiting for several motorcycles to pass her location when she saw that they had their blinkers on and appeared to be slowing down and pulling to the side of the road.
According to reports, Raber stated she had pulled into the oncoming lane of travel in an attempt to complete her turn.
The trooper assessed the scene and victim and notes in his report that, while standing to the south of the vehicle, he could smell a strong odor of alcohol but could not immediately locate the source. He then observed multiple cans of beer along the roadway to the south of the vehicle.
During an interview, the trooper allegedly smelled a faint odor of alcoholic beverage from Raber’s person and asked how much alcohol she had consumed that day. Raber allegedly responded she had consumed “a few beers” at around 1:30 p.m. before heading out to go prairie dog hunting.
According to reports, a portable breathalyzer test returned a result of .27 blood alcohol content. The trooper reports that he explained to Raber that this is almost three times the legal limit to operate a motor vehicle.
Raber was placed under arrest and transported to Crook County hospital, where she voluntarily submitted to second blood test.
Raber has been charged with two counts of aggravated homicide by vehicle, carrying maximum penalties of 20 years’ imprisonment, a $10,000 fine or both.