Epiphany man sentenced on DUI, hit-and-run charges after running over 6-year-old girl

Cassie Williams, The Daily Republic, Mitchell, S.D.
·1 min read
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Nov. 25—EPIPHANY, S.D. — An Epiphany man was sentenced after pleading guilty to running over a 6-year-old girl in her driveway in July while he was drunk.

Donald Letcher, 58, was sentenced on Wednesday, Nov. 23 to 25 days in jail, as well as a 30-day license suspension and two years of probation, after pleading guilty to charges relating to the hit-and-run of a child.

Authorities in Hanson County were dispatched to a rural property near the intersection of 422nd Avenue and 246th Street, about seven miles southwest of Epiphany, for reports of a child being run over in July.

According to Hanson County Sheriff Brandon Wingert, Letcher was driving his pickup around the area in Epiphany when he drove onto private property and struck a young girl who had been playing with a kitten in her family's driveway. Letcher fled the scene and returned to his home in Epiphany.

Approximately 20 minutes after the initial call, authorities were able to locate Letcher at his home. According to Wingert, Letcher failed field sobriety tests and a preliminary breath test showed a .216 reading, approximately more than two times the legal limit.

Letcher was arrested on charges of driving under the influence, hit-and-run resulting in a death or injury and failure to report a crash to law enforcement. He pleaded guilty to the charges in late-September.

In addition to the 25-day incarceration and the revocation of his license, Letcher was sentenced to pay court-ordered fines totaling over $2,000, and ordered to attend counseling and participate in 24/7 sobriety testing for the duration of his incarceration.