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COEBURN, Va. (AP) — A 36-year-old southwest Virginia woman faces a murder charge after authorities say she crashed head-on into another car while trying to avoid a drunken-driving checkpoint, killing a Missouri mother.
Wise County Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Slemp tells local media Samantha R. Dennis of Coeburn is charged with felony murder and felony eluding after the crash Friday.
State police say Dennis was driving an SUV that stopped after coming upon a DUI checkpoint. They say she made a U-turn and then collided with a vehicle driven by 32-year-old Rebecca Starling of St. Charles, Missouri. Starling's young daughters sustained injuries that weren't life-threatening, and a passenger in Dennis' car suffered life-threatening injuries.
Dennis was being held without bond Saturday. It wasn't clear if she had an attorney who could comment on her behalf.
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