A Kennewick woman charged with driving drunk when she killed another motorist in a September crash is back behind bars after reportedly making statements that she was going to leave town before trial.
Lori Ann Christensen, 48, was in custody Tuesday morning when she appeared in Franklin County Superior Court.
She had been free after posting bond on $100,000 bail, but court documents said she was surrendered by a bondsman for violating a bail restriction. The company wants to be released from its obligation for Christensen's bail.
Jail records show she was booked into the Franklin County jail at 8:41 p.m. Monday.
Deputy Prosecutor Brian Hultgrenn told the court that according to an affidavit filed by a bail bondsman, Christensen "indicated to someone she was going to flee." He asked Judge Cameron Mitchell to set her bail at $250,000 "to head that off."
Christensen's car slammed head-on into another car early Sept. 24 in Pasco after pulling out of a Motel 6 parking lot onto Oregon Avenue and crossing the center line.
Her car collided at 5:30 a.m. with a car driven by Orlando Abarca-Rivera. The 35-year-old Pasco man died.
Christensen told police she had had a couple of beers the night before, court documents said. A firefighter at the scene also told Washington State Patrol troopers that he could smell alcohol on her, documents said.
Christensen said she was late for work delivering newspapers for her husband, who was an independent contractor for the Tri-City Herald.
Christensen pleaded innocent Tuesday to an amended vehicular homicide charge that alleges she drove "under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs or in a reckless manner, which was the proximate cause of injury" to Abarca-Rivera.
Defense attorney Bob Thompson asked to court to set a bail hearing next Tuesday.
Hultgrenn wanted it immediately set at $250,000 to avoid the possibility of her getting out, then the issue could be addressed next week.
Mitchell decided that bail would remain at $100,000 and said Christensen will be in custody until a new bond is posted.
Her trial is scheduled for Sept. 28, but the lawyers Tuesday agreed to move it to Sept. 21 because of a conflict with a witness.
