Woman arrested in southern Utah for DUI after collision that put cyclist on life support, police say

ST. GEORGE — A woman is in custody after she was allegedly driving under the influence on Friday night.

Lacee Winder, 26, was booked into the Washington County Jail for investigation of DUI, possession of drug paraphernalia, distribution of a controlled substance and negligently operating a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.

St. George police were dispatched to the scene of a collision at 1300 W. Sunset Boulevard at 6:08 p.m., where they found a male cyclist lying unresponsive in front of a Kia Sorento, with the bicycle behind the vehicle. Preliminary reports indicate the cyclist was crossing the road in an unmarked crosswalk at the intersection of 1300 West and Sunset Boulevard, and Winder told police she did not see the cyclist, according to a police booking affidavit.

The cyclist is currently on life support with no brain activity, the document said.

Police then spoke with Winder, who told police she was delivering pizza at the time of the crash. When asked if she used prescription drugs, Winder allegedly told police she uses marijuana, according to the affidavit. Police were able to confirm she had a valid medical marijuana card.

Winder told police there was marijuana in the car, but that it was purchased in Nevada, not Utah, police wrote in the affidavit. Winder then told police she had used marijuana at 11 a.m. at her boyfriend's house in Washington, Washington County. She was arrested after failing field sobriety tests at the scene.

A search warrant was issued for Winder's boyfriend's apartment at 3151 E. Fourteen Fairway Drive, in Washington, where officers discovered multiple marijuana items and a firearm with a destroyed serial number. Winder's boyfriend confirmed that Winder had been using marijuana that morning, and said he paid her to buy marijuana in Nevada and bring it back to him, the document states.

The cause of the accident and the circumstances involving the cyclist crossing the road remain under investigation.

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