Woman convicted of murder in hit-and-run that killed Leavenworth teenager
A 28-year-old woman was convicted Thursday of second-degree murder related to the killing of a Leavenworth teenager she struck with her car and left for dead after a night of heavy drinking, according to prosecutors.
Amber N. Alexander, formerly of Leavenworth, was found guilty of the murder charge as well as leaving the scene of an accident, destruction of evidence and interfering with a law enforcement investigation following a two-day jury trial in Leavenworth County District Court.
At trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Alexander left a bar in nearby Lansing after consuming several drinks and shots until the early hours of Aug. 7. Surveillance video showed her then getting behind the wheel of her Subaru Outback before heading north on Main Street into Leavenworth, prosecutors said.
That morning around 2 a.m. two teenage girls, 16 and 17, were walking north on 4th Street. Alexander allegedly struck the 16-year-old near Kiowa Street before speeding off and heading over the Leavenworth Centennial Bridge into Missouri.
One witness testified that the victim was on the hood of the vehicle for approximately 60 feet before the driver swerved and threw her off, prosecutors said.
Investigators found that Alexander had filed insurance claims for the damage to her vehicle the following day. Prosecutors said she intentionally drove her car into thick brush in an attempt to hide the damage done from the fatal crash involving the teenager.
Police relied on evidence found at the scenes of the crashes, including broken glass from a headlight and a missing passenger side mirror, as they built the case against Alexander. A fellow bar patron identified Alexander as the driver of the Subaru.
In a statement, Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson praised the work of police and thanked those from the public who helped with the investigation.
“We would be nothing without the help of our citizens in keeping our community safe,” Thompson said.
Alexander is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 2.
