Golden – A 17-year-old girl has been indicted on charges of vehicular homicide and eight other counts in the March 13 crash that killed a Bear Creek High School student.
Nanette Lafleur, who is being held at the Jefferson County Jail on $100,000 bail, was initially thought to have been a passenger in the Ford Explorer that crossed a double-yellow-lined median on West Alameda Parkway and slammed head-on into a Honda Accord.
The Honda was driven by Seth Mutschler, 20, who was critically injured but survived. His passenger, Samara Stricklen, 17, was killed.
Immediately after the impact, the indictment said, Lafleur asked Alison Bowen, 16, whose parents owned the Explorer, to get into the driver’s seat and Lafleur got out of the Explorer.
Bowen was in the driver’s seat and told police she was the driver, the indictment states.
Bowen will be charged Thursday with attempting to influence a public servant and DUI. She is free on $10,000 bond.
Lafleur, who obtained a driver’s license on Feb. 9, told investigators she was in the front passenger seat and Bowen was the driver, the indictment said.
Three other passengers told police Bowen was the driver, although other witnesses said Lafleur was the driver, the indictment said, and Lafleur told friends that she was the driver and was intoxicated at the time.
“This was a very complicated investigation,” said Jefferson County District Attorney Scott Storey. He said he decided to take the case to a grand jury, which has subpoena power, when faced with conflicting statements about who was driving.
Lafleur, who has been charged as an adult, also has been indicted for vehicular assault-DUI; vehicular homicide-reckless driving; two counts of attempt to influence a public servant; possession of less than one ounce of marijuana; possession or consumption of alcohol by a minor; and minor driving with more than one passenger under the age of 21.
Stricklen’s and Mutschler’s families said they were pleased with the charges.
Seth Mutschler told 9News he was happy and relieved.
“It didn’t really matter who was driving, as long as somebody is held responsible,” he told the TV station.
The indictment said Lafleur spent a “significant” part of March 13 drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana, and that she appeared intoxicated to people who saw her before the crash.
Alcohol was purchased by an underage friend at the Alameda Square Discount Liquors, 12792 W. Alameda Parkway, and given to Lafleur, the indictment said.
A clerk at the liquor store, Van Thien Pham, 44, has been indicted on 10 counts of unlawfully providing alcohol to a minor and is being held on $500 bail at the Jefferson County Jail. The indictment said on 10 occasions between Jan. 1 and April 6, Pham sold alcohol to underage people without asking for proof of age. The store’s liquor license was suspended for more than a month.
Three juveniles also have been charged in connection with the crash. A 15-year-old boy is accused of providing alcohol to a minor. A 16-year-old girl and a 17-year-old boy are accused of possession or consumption of alcohol by a minor.
