Woman gets probation, house arrest in fatal Longmont crash
May 5—A woman was sentenced to probation and house arrest in connection with a fatal pedestrian crash in Longmont in which the pedestrian was drunk and not in a crosswalk, but the driver was also intoxicated.
Selena Gurule, 27, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide — DWAI in the death of Jay Stoppel and child abuse for having her child in the vehicle at the time.
On Friday, Boulder District Judge Patrick Butler sentenced Gurule to three years of probation with six months of electronic home monitoring. She will also have to complete 160 hours of community service.
All sides said it was an unusual case, as police reports indicated Stoppel walked out in front of Gurule's vehicle in a dark section of the 1800 block of Hover Street the night of June 19.
Prosecutors said Stoppel was intoxicated and was not in a crosswalk.
But Gurule admitted to drinking and smoking marijuana prior to the crash, and the presence of alcohol and THC were found in her blood.
Ultimately, attorneys recommended probation and Butler agreed it was the proper outcome.
"Nothing will bring back Mr. Stoppel, but I also understand that it was an unintentional action, it just had a very horrible, horrible consequence," Butler said.
Gurule asked for electronic home monitoring instead of work release so she could care for her daughter.
"I'm really sorry your honor for my actions,," Gurule told Butler. "I hope you give me a chance."
Defense attorney Jennifer Englemann noted a crash reconstruction showed that Gurule likely would not have been able to avoid the crash even if she were sober, but Engelmann said Gurule from the very beginning wanted to take responsibility.
"It's a very unusual case, it's a very difficult case," Engelmann said. "Being responsible for the loss of a life is not something you get over. That's going to haunt her for the rest of her life."
Butler agreed that electronic home monitoring with an increased community service element was a "better situation" for both Gurule and the community.
But Butler did issue a suspended jail sentence that Gurule will only have to serve if she does not comply with her monitoring and probation.
"This case was extremely difficult due to the factual circumstances" the Boulder County District Attorney's Office stated. "Ultimately, despite the victim's level of intoxication and his actions, the driver bears responsibility. So, our office charged the driver and sought a felony conviction.
"Hopefully, this sentence will allow the defendant to receive the help she needs. If she fails to comply with the conditions, our office will ask the court to impose a jail or prison sentence."
