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A 62-year-old Salt Lake City woman has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs in August when she allegedly caused the death of a motorcyclist in Cottonwood Heights.
Sally Hall Sturtevant is charged in 3rd District Court with one count of third-degree felony automobile homicide in the death of 43-year-old Rodney Russell, of Sandy.
On Aug. 4 at about 7 p.m., Russell was riding south on Highland Drive when Sturtevant, driving a northbound Honda Civic, turned left in front of him at 6900 South, charges state.
Russell was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police officers talking to Sturtevant noticed a strong odor of alcohol and that her speech was slurred, charges state.
A blood sample collected nearly three hours after the crash indicated Sturtevant's blood-alcohol level was 0.09, which is just over Utah's legal limit of 0.08.
Blood tests also showed she was positive for morphine, and the painkillers Oxycodone and Tramadol, charges state,
Sturtevant told police she had consumed alcohol, 20 mg of Oxycodone, 60 mg of morphine and a Tramadol pill that day, charges state.
She said that as she entered the left-turn lane, she waited for oncoming traffic to clear before starting her turn, charges state.
"Sturtevant stated she never saw the motorcycle," according to charges.
The defendant, who is free on $50,000 bail, has an initial court appearance set for Jan. 10.
She faces up to five years in prison, if convicted as charged.