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Attorney claims woman charged in deadly Watterson Expressway crash wasn't driving

Attorney claims woman charged in deadly Watterson Expressway crash wasn't driving
GOOD EVENING TO YOU. I’M JENNIFER BAILEYS AND I’M SO FINE. DINGELL TONIGHT, THE WOMAN CHARGED WITH DRIVING DRUNK AND CAUSING THAT CRASH CLAIMED SHE WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL. 33 YEAR OLD DOMINIC JOHNSON DIED WHEN HIS CAR WAS REAR ENDED INTO THE MEDIAN ON THE WATERSON EXPRESSWAY NEAR THE BRECKENRIDGE EXIT EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. WLKY SPINOFF’S GARY SPOKE TO THOSE STRUGGLING WITH JOHNSON’S LOSS. ON MONDAY, 42 YEAR OLD MARIA GIBSON APPEARED IN COURT HERE WHERE SHE PLED NOT GUILTY TO MURDER CRIMINAL MISCHIEF, ASSAULT AND DUI. HER ATTORNEY ARGUED THAT SHE WASN’T BEHIND THE WHEEL AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH, BUT POLICE SAY WHEN THEY INTERVIEWED HER RIGHT AFTER SHE ADMITTED TO STARTING HER CAR AND THEN BLACKING OUT. MARIA GIBSON IS CHARGED WITH CAUSING THE CRASH THAT KILLED DOMINIQUE JOHNSON JOHNSON, A FATHER OF THREE, AND WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL ALUM, IS BEING REMEMBERED BY THOSE WHO KNEW HIM BEST, INCLUDING HIS FORMER COACH, DANNY EDLUND. I’M JUST TRYING TO THINK ABOUT THE POSITIVE THINGS RIGHT NOW, TOO, SO I DON’T KEEP BREAKING DOWN. SO EDLUND SAYS IT’S A LOSS THAT STRUCK HIM TO THE CORE. I JUST COULDN’T BELIEVE IT. WHILE JOHNSON WAS AT WAGNER HIGH SCHOOL, EDLUND WAS HIS BASKETBALL COACH. WATCHING HIM GO FROM A TINY FRESHMAN WITH AMBITION TO ONE OF THE BEST SENIOR PLAYERS IN THE DISTRICT, HE SAYS JOHNSON WAS HIS FAVORITE PLAYER TO COACH. BUT HIS ACCOMPLISHMENTS ON THE COURT AREN’T THE REASON WHY. AS SOON AS YOU AROUND HIM, IT’S JUST HARD NOT TO LAUGH AND JUST HARD NOT TO SMILE. AND THE LIFE LESSONS YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO TEACH KIDS LIKE HE WAS ALL THAT WRAPPED INTO ONE. SO PROUD OF THE YOUNG MAN HE’D BECOME. AND JUST. I COULD TELL THAT HE WAS JUST SO PUMPED ABOUT BEING A DAD. JOHNSON LEAVES BEHIND TWO YOUNG DAUGHTERS AND A TEN MONTH OLD SON. IT’S JUST SO DEVASTATING. BUT I’M JUST
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Attorney claims woman charged in deadly Watterson Expressway crash wasn't driving
The defense attorney for a woman who is charged in connection with a deadly crash that happened on the Watterson Expressway argued that she was not driving the vehicle at the time of the wreck.Maria Gibson, 42, was arraigned in court Monday on several charges, including murder and operating a vehicle while under the influence.Arrest records say Gibson had been drinking prior to rear-ending a vehicle at a high rate of speed just after 4 a.m. Sunday on the eastbound lanes of the Watterson at Breckenridge Lane. The crash caused the second vehicle to catch fire, trapping 33-year-old Dominique Johnson inside, and shut down the Watterson for several hours. Johnson died as a result of the crash, according to the Jefferson County's Coroner's Office.Gibson's defense attorney, Alex Fleming, told District Court Judge Annette Karem on Monday during the arraignment that Gibson was in the back seat of the vehicle. They said another person was driving the car when the crash happened and that person left the scene.Fleming also says that witnesses reportedly extricated Gibson from the backseat of the vehicle, but that was not included in the arrest citation.However, the arrest citation does mention that Gibson admitted to starting her vehicle while out at a bar on Preston Highway, but she blacked out and the next thing she remembers is being in a crash.It also states that there was a visible seatbelt mark that went from her left shoulder across her chest toward the right side of her body. The citation also notes that Gibson's earring and cell phone were found on the floor on the driver's side.A passenger in the vehicle Gibson was in, was treated at the hospital for non-life threatening injuries, records show.Judge Karem kept Gibson's bond at $100,000. She will be eligible for home incarceration if bail is posted.The judge also said the arguments were not appropriate for a bond hearing.Her next court date is Aug. 23.

The defense attorney for a woman who is charged in connection with a deadly crash that happened on the Watterson Expressway argued that she was not driving the vehicle at the time of the wreck.

Maria Gibson, 42, was arraigned in court Monday on several charges, including murder and operating a vehicle while under the influence.

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Arrest records say Gibson had been drinking prior to rear-ending a vehicle at a high rate of speed just after 4 a.m. Sunday on the eastbound lanes of the Watterson at Breckenridge Lane. The crash caused the second vehicle to catch fire, trapping 33-year-old Dominique Johnson inside, and shut down the Watterson for several hours.

Johnson died as a result of the crash, according to the Jefferson County's Coroner's Office.

Gibson's defense attorney, Alex Fleming, told District Court Judge Annette Karem on Monday during the arraignment that Gibson was in the back seat of the vehicle. They said another person was driving the car when the crash happened and that person left the scene.

Fleming also says that witnesses reportedly extricated Gibson from the backseat of the vehicle, but that was not included in the arrest citation.

However, the arrest citation does mention that Gibson admitted to starting her vehicle while out at a bar on Preston Highway, but she blacked out and the next thing she remembers is being in a crash.

It also states that there was a visible seatbelt mark that went from her left shoulder across her chest toward the right side of her body. The citation also notes that Gibson's earring and cell phone were found on the floor on the driver's side.

A passenger in the vehicle Gibson was in, was treated at the hospital for non-life threatening injuries, records show.

Judge Karem kept Gibson's bond at $100,000. She will be eligible for home incarceration if bail is posted.

The judge also said the arguments were not appropriate for a bond hearing.

Her next court date is Aug. 23.