Were charges filed after an accident?
June 2, 2009 12:39 PM   Subscribe

Help me with a site or source for finding out if charges were filed against a driver involved in an accident in Weld County, Colorado. Colorado State Police is the investigating agency, from what I can determine.
posted by Man with Lantern to Law & Government (6 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Best answer: The Weld County District Attorney's office has a Media Relations Page with summaries of investigations and charges.
posted by brianogilvie at 12:50 PM on June 2, 2009


P.S. I didn't see the accident you mentioned listed, but the website has contact information, so you could call the DA's office to inquire.
posted by brianogilvie at 12:56 PM on June 2, 2009


Response by poster: Thank you for posting the Media Relations Page, Brian. I e-mailed the contact, Ms. Finch, and actually received an answer. The next question I may pose to this august collection of people is how such a light charge would be made when two people were killed - on a straight and narrow road in excellent driving conditions. (One can hope that her parents took her cell phone away.)

From the DA's office:

Nellie Townsend (case number 09T3492) has been charged with two counts of Careless Driving Causing Death (class one traffic offenses). She will appear in court for an arraignment on June 23 at 1:00 p.m.

Regarding a way to track the case, I will put it on our case tracking summary which you can view and download from our web site at www.weldda.com under the media and community relations tab or you can call or email me and I can provide you the information that is in the public record.

posted by Man with Lantern at 5:12 PM on June 3, 2009


Response by poster: As a follow-up to the charges against Ms. Townsend, she was found guilty of "Careless driving causing death" and will be sentenced on April 20, 2010. As a coincidence, April 20th would have been the 54th birthday of one of her victims, Bruce Patterson. Talk about irony!

On the positive side, Nellie C. Townsend is now working for her parent's firm. The cynic in me figures that that's so she'll appear to have respectable job when she goes in front of the judge.
posted by Man with Lantern at 12:36 PM on April 9, 2010


Response by poster: Today, Nellie C. Townsend was sentenced to six months' work-release, perform 150 hours of community service, take an Alive at 25 class, and spend three years on supervised probation.

And she stated that she didn't remember things happening at all.

On the positive note, she's working for her parents' retirement company and when you do an image search on her you find a photo of the Escort that Mr. Patterson was driving when she hit him. That has to do wonders for her dating!
posted by Man with Lantern at 12:36 PM on April 20, 2010


Man with Lantern

As you may guess, I am Nellie C Townsend. The girl you have been posting about.
To clarify, I was not on my phone at the time of the accident. Records have been provided to the DA and Weld County Courts. So no... my phone was never taken away.

Also, I have always had a respectable job. I was a reserve death investigator for Adams County at the time of the accident. I have always been a straight A student. I have never gotten a speeding ticket. I have always been determined to better myself. That was why, in fact, I was driving that day. I was going to sign a lease for an apartment so that I could go to school at UNC to become a nurse... to help people.

And thanks so much for worrying about my social life. That is very sweet of you. Yes, my whole life has taken a tole from this... however it is not because people who have met me or who have known me blame me for the accident. I have had a large support group behind me the entire time who always have and still believe that I am a good person.

It has taken a tole, Mr Lantern, because I have not been able to stop grieving the loss of Mr Bruce Patterson and Mr James Matthews life for one second since. Almost one year later, it still hits me just as hard.

Although I still grieve, and will never forget the outcome of the accident on April 28th of 2009, I still believe that I am a good person. I grieve for the families and their loss as well as all the people who have been effected by this tragedy. I will never be able to fix, change, or reconcile the deaths of two men. But I do not believe God put this in my life for me to do that. I have yet to determine what God's purpose for all this was, however he granted me life after April 28th and I plan on using these days to once again, better myself, and love all those around just like they have loved me... and still love me in spite of the events.
posted by Nellie at 7:56 PM on April 26, 2010 [1 favorite]


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