Driver accused of killing Longmont girl, 8,
was under influence of marijuana, police say
The Denver Post / July 27, 2016
https://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/27/peyton-knowlton-death-driver-charges/
https://www.denverpost.com/2016/07/27/peyton-knowlton-death-driver-charges/
The driver suspected in a crash that killed 8-year-old girl Peyton Knowlton as she rode her bike will be prosecuted in connection with her death, police announced Tuesday.
Longmont police also revealed that they suspect the 20-year-old man who struck and killed Knowlton on May 20 was driving under the influence of marijuana. Peyton had been riding her bike home from school from a school celebration with her stepfather, Cody Shetley, when the pickup struck her in the intersection. The driver suspected in a crash that killed 8-year-old girl Peyton Knowlton as she rode her bike will be prosecuted in connection with her death, police announced Tuesday. |
The driver suspected in a crash that killed 8-year-old girl Peyton Knowlton as she rode her bike will be prosecuted in connection with her death, police announced Tuesday.
Longmont police also revealed that they suspect the 20-year-old man who struck and killed Knowlton on May 20 was driving under the influence of marijuana.
Peyton had been riding her bike home from school from a school celebration with her stepfather, Cody Shetley, when the pickup struck her in the intersection.
That driver, who has not yet been identified by police, faces charges of vehicular homicide and driving under the influence of drugs.
Boulder County District Attorney Stan Garnett said two factors in the investigation of the 8-year-old’s death at 17th Avenue and Alpine Street were most complex.
“The first one was the accident recreation; we wanted to make sure we had a thorough reconstruction of what happened,” Garnett said. “The second, we wanted a thorough analysis of the toxicology to find there was impairment that led to the crash.
“We feel there is evidence to establish both of those things, but he is presumed innocent and the case will be decided in court.”
Garnett said cases involving impairment of any kind are examined by his office closely, and in this case especially because the science around marijuana is more complex than alcohol.
The warrant for the driver who killed Peyton also lists charges of criminal possession of a forged instrument, prohibited use of a weapon, failing to stop for a traffic control signal, failing to yield right of way to a pedestrian at a walk signal, possession of alcohol by an underage person, unlawful possession of marijuana by an underage person and unlawful possession of marijuana paraphernalia by an underage person.
Peyton had been riding her bike home from school from an “end of second grade celebration” with her stepfather, Cody Shetley, when the pickup struck her in the intersection. The Shetleys later shared that their daughter was a bright and happy girl who was friends with everyone she met.