A Durango woman suspected of rear-ending a motorcyclist and killing him last month on Colorado Highway 3 has been charged with careless driving causing death.
The charge could be amended – or additional charges could be filed – based on new evidence in the case, Assistant District Attorney Christian Champagne said Friday.
The District Attorney’s Office said last week it was waiting for further evidence before filing charges, but a June 15 summons and complaint had already been sent to Michelle Northcutt, the driver. A summons and complaint is similar to a ticket, but in this case, it is considered a formal charge, Champagne said.
“There are other potential charges that we’re still considering, and we’re still waiting for all the evidence to finalize our decision, but the initial charges have been filed,” he said.
Northcutt, 51, was driving south on Highway 3 when she slammed into the back of Tim Cooper, 52, who was stopped on his motorcycle at the intersection with South Camino del Rio, near Walmart. The motorcycle was propelled forward and crashed into the vehicle stopped in front of Cooper and burst into flames.
The crash occurred at 10:26 a.m. June 6. At the scene, Northcutt admitted to smoking marijuana at 5 a.m., according to police reports. Northcutt submitted to voluntary roadside sobriety maneuvers, which she passed, according to a news release issued this week by the Durango Police Department.
“No drug or alcohol impairment is suspected in this accident investigation based on her performance during voluntary roadside sobriety maneuvers,” the release says.
Investigators collected multiple pieces of evidence, including photographs, cellphones, statements from witnesses, driver’s statements, measurements of the crash scene and a vehicle diagnostic computer from Northcutt’s vehicle.
The investigation has taken several weeks, in part because the Durango Police Department was waiting for information to be returned from the onboard diagnostic computer from Northcutt’s vehicle.
That information was recently returned, but it was in code that had to be deciphered before being sent to the District Attorney’s Office, Lt. Ray Shupe said Friday in an interview. The forensic decipher was received earlier this week and has been turned over to the District Attorney’s Office, he said.
Northcutt is scheduled to make her first court appearance at 10 a.m. Aug. 16.
shane@durangoherald.com