Teen driver charged in killing of woman as she gardened

Conaghan

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Authorities on Wednesday charged Jill Conaghan with driving under the influence and killing an Overland Park woman as she gardened in her front yard.

Conaghan, 19, was charged with involuntary manslaughter DUI, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to stay in a traffic lane and driving on a sidewalk area.

A Johnson County judge Wednesday set her bond at $100,000 and assigned the case to another judge who will have bond hearing today.

The July 18 accident resulted in the death of Sandra Carocari, 70, who was killed about 11:30 a.m. as she worked in her front yard in the 9800 block of 99th Terrace.

Conaghan also was charged with three counts of consumption of liquor by a minor. The complaint alleges that Conaghan was a minor in possession of alcohol on three separate occasions — July 30, Aug. 24 and Sept. 23.

Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe declined to comment other than to say prosecutors have the discretion to file charges from different offenses together.

Conaghan was taken into custody Tuesday evening but not formally charged until Wednesday.

Carocari was pronounced dead at the scene after the vehicle left the road, struck her and knocked her across the yard.

The driver left but eventually returned with her parents and allegedly told police she had struck the woman. Police said they were told that medication was involved in the accident.

The teenager was arrested after an investigation, said Overland Park police spokesman Jim Weaver.

Police had been waiting for results of lab tests involving blood and urine samples before sending the case to prosecutors, Weaver said. They gave the case to prosecutors about three weeks ago, he said.

After Carocari’s death, several neighbors expressed outrage about a continual pattern of reckless driving along 99th Terrace. Many said they had called police and the city repeatedly about the problem.

Overland Park engineers had previously determined that the area could use some traffic-calming measures, but money was not available.

Police have stepped up efforts to cite reckless drivers, and wrote more than 230 tickets on 99th Terrace between Switzer and Antioch roads from Aug. 17 to 28.

The city studied different ways to control speeding in the weeks following the deadly crash, although police said speeding was not a factor in that death. A study of 99th Terrace showed that speeders there did not go much over the posted speed limit.

Engineers are still studying how the street might be improved, said City Councilman David White, who represents the area.

The Star’s Robert Cronkleton and Brad Cooper contributed to this report. To reach Joe Lambe, call 816-234-7714 or send e-mail to jlambe@kcstar.com.

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