Austin man charged in fatal hit and run pleads not guilty

(ABC 6 News) – An Austin man charged in a fatal hit and run Friday has pleaded not guilty.

35-year-old Darin Douglas Finley is charged with one count criminal vehicular homicide – driver who causes collision leaves scene and one count criminal vehicular homicide – operate motor vehicle with alcohol concentration .08 or more.

According to the Austin Police Department, at approximately 11:18 p.m. on December 30, officers responded to a report of a person lying in the roadway on Oakland Place SE near Oakland Ave SE in Austin.

Melissa Rack, 41, of Austin, was not breathing, nor had a pulse when officers arrived on scene. Officers rendered CPR until Mayo Ambulance arrived and took over lifesaving efforts, but those were unsuccessful.

RELATED: Austin hit-and-run leaves 1 dead; driver arrested, charges pending

Austin Police said debris and other evidence indicated that a vehicle struck Rack. Using debris and a witness statements, officers canvased the area and located the suspect vehicle, with damage consistent with the crash scene, in a driveway in the 1700 block of 1st. Ave. SE.

According to court documents, Finley admitted to driving the vehicle that evening and admitted that he “hit something” but did not know what it was.

During the investigation, officers obtained security footage from a home located near the defendant’s home. On the footage, at approximately 11:14 p.m., a white Suburban style vehicle was seen traveling eastbound on 1st Avenue NE at a high rate of speed. The vehicle is then seen applying its brakes as it nears the defendant’s home

A search warrant for a sample of the Finley’s blood. At the jail, at approximately 4:47 a.m., the Finley provided a preliminary breath test of 0.063.

A jury trial for Finley is scheduled for June 12.