Austin woman pleads guilty in criminal vehicular operation case

(ABC 6 News) – An Austin woman pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal vehicular operation–bodily harm, alcohol concentration 0.08 or more within 2 hours of driving Friday.

Sheila White, 56, was accused of driving while intoxicated June 2 and crashing into a parked car, injuring one of her passengers.

The details of White’s plea agreement were not filed publicly Friday, Aug. 23.

White’s sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 1.

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(ABC 6 News) – An Austin woman appeared in Mower County Court Monday on charges related to a crash June 2.

Sheila White, 56, was charged with criminal vehicular operation–bodily harm, alcohol concentration 0.08 or more within 2 hours of driving; as well as 3rd-degree DWI.

White was released on $0 bail with conditions, as long as she maintains contact with probation, does not use alcohol or other substances, and submits to random testing.

According to court documents, Austin police responded to a crash in the 600 block of 12th Street SW at about 1:46 a.m. June 2.

Police claim White, driving a 2021 Jeep Cherokee, had struck a 2005 Toyota Sienna parked on the street.

Court documents allege that White’s speech was slurred, she struggled to maintain her balance, and said “I’m drunk, I know, I’m doing to prison.”

White was taken to the Mower County Jail, while one of her other passengers repeatedly told law enforcement the other was injured.

The passenger refused to be checked by medical personnel at the scene, but later sought medical attention, according to police. A later medical report stated the woman had bruising to her chin, chest, arm, and lower leg, which swelled.

“Imaging did not show any fractures, but the report states (the passenger) will feel pain for several days,” court documents read.

According to court documents, police obtained a sample of White’s blood about 90 minutes after the crash, and a test confirmed her BAC was at 0.205 — about 2.5 times the legal driving limit.

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(ABC 6 News) – An Austin woman was taken into custody over the weekend on suspected DWI charges.

Sheila White, 55, was booked into the Mower County jail at about 2:15 a.m. June 2, on suspected criminal vehicular operation and DWI charges.

According to Austin Police Capt. Todd Clennon, at about 1:45 a.m. Sunday, office responded to 605 12 Street SW where a caller said they’d heard a vehicle’s brakes, then saw a car in the road with its hazards on.

According to Clennon, officers found White and two passengers in a 2021 Jeep Cherokee with heavy front-end damage that had collided with a parked, unoccupied Toyota Sienna.

As officers parked, they allegedly heard the Jeep attempting to move, with the engine revving loudly. The car’s airbags had deployed in the crash.

Clennon said White told officers she’d been looking at her GPS during the crash. While interviewing her, officers allegedly “detected signs of impairment” and took her into custody.

Jail staff conducted a blood draw, and charges are pending, depending on BCA test results, Clennon said.

White’s two passengers “walked away from the accident,” Clennon said, although one complained of non-life-threatening injury.

That passenger refused medical care from an ambulance at the scene, Clennon added.