RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) - A western South Dakota woman has pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide and driving under the influence in a crash that killed her husband last month.
Sara Keyte, 24, appeared shaken as she entered her pleas Friday, the Rapid City Journal (https://bit.ly/1oYFrxr ) reported.
Prosecutors say she was driving the couple’s pickup truck when it veered off of Highway 44 near Johnson Siding on Feb. 13. The truck went down a steep embankment and landed front-end Rapid Creek.
Keyte’s husband, Donald Van Norman, wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the back seat of the truck. Van Norman, 27, was taken to a hospital, where he died the next day.
Keyte’s bond was reduced from $100,000 to $20,000 at her hearing Friday, despite prosecutors’ opposition.
Pennington County Deputy State’s Attorney Todd Hyronimus told the judge that he opposed the bond reduction because Keyte recently tried to commit suicide.
Keyte’s attorney assured Circuit Judge Thomas Trimble that her mental health has improved.
The Rapid City woman is scheduled to appear in court in April.
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