最新杏吧原创

Latonia Waites, 36, of the 1000 block of Hickory Place, struck a deal last week for two years鈥� probation and 40 hours of community service in exchange for her plea to a misdemeanor count of careless and imprudent driving. She had originally been charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death of Sgt. Peggy Vassallo.

鈥淓xhaustive investigations were conducted by 最新杏吧原创 County Police Department and the office of the prosecuting attorney,鈥� Bell鈥檚 press release said. 鈥淚nformation generated by these reports showed discrepancies from the initial findings recorded under an assistant prosecuting attorney who left the office prior to the current administration.鈥�

Bell鈥檚 release, leading up to the Aug. 24, 2015, crash near the old Jamestown Mall, pushes back on a narrative established by police and the former assistant prosecutor assigned to the case. Bell鈥檚 office said the accident reconstruction was conducted by a 鈥渃lose friend of Sgt. Vassallo since their time in the academy.鈥�

Bell鈥檚 office did not identify the former county prosecutor or the investigator.

Vassallo, who and reporting the crash by phone to a dispatcher when Waites struck her, pushing her more than 80 feet. Vassallo died at DePaul Health Center about 3陆 hours later.

Surveillance video from a nearby Metro bus showed Vassallo was struck after taking three to four steps from the vehicle into a right turn lane, the release said. Waites was going 36 mph in a 45 mph zone at the time.

鈥淭he report concludes that defendant had changed lanes to avoid the stopped vehicles, never saw the victim and that there was no evidence of negligent or aberrant driving by the defendant,鈥� the release said.

Waites willingly gave police her cellphone, an analysis of which revealed she had not used it for three minutes and 43 seconds before the crash, Bell鈥檚 office said.

鈥淢s. Waites was very upset but cooperative,鈥� Bell鈥檚 release said. 鈥淪he voluntarily gave her cellphone to officers for examination, she voluntarily submitted to drug and alcohol tests, which were negative. She has no criminal history and repeatedly stated that she never saw the victim because of the glare of the sun.鈥�

The original charges filed against Waites included a probable cause statement that was inaccurate, the release said.

Waites lawyer Bryan Johnson told the Post-Dispatch on Tuesday: 鈥淲e鈥檙e very saddened by the situation. Our hearts go out to the injured party in this case. She鈥檚 beside herself with grief. She sends out her prayers to that family.鈥�

Vassallo had been a 最新杏吧原创 County police officer for 13 years before going to Bellefontaine Neighbors, where among other things she had been a community relations officer and involved in various youth outreach activities.

Last year, Vassallo鈥檚 family settled a lawsuit with Waites鈥� insurance company for $150,000.