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Woman faces negligent homicide charge in drunk-driving crash

The driver of a fatal one-car crash in Pupukea in November was speeding, drunk and high on marijuana, said Kelli Lee, deputy city prosecutor.

An Oahu grand jury returned an indictment Wednesday charging Brittany L. Poole, 23, with first-degree negligent homicide and driving without a license.

Lee said Poole was speeding, drinking beer and smoking marijuana while driving around the island with four passengers Nov. 21 when she started arguing with the front-seat passenger over her speeding.

Police said Poole lost control of her car, which crossed the center line on Kamehameha Highway, hit a rock wall, a parked vehicle and two fences, went airborne and flipped over before slamming into a carport.

Lee said a back-seat passenger, Unique Murry, 21, was ejected from the car. An ambulance took Murry to Wahiawa General Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Poole’s blood alcohol content was 0.09 and her car was traveling 69 to 70 mph in a 25 mph zone, Lee said.

It is unlawful for anyone with a BAC of .08 or higher to operate a vehicle.

Poole has a July 2009 DUI conviction, four speeding convictions in 2009 and 2010, one for driving 22 mph over the speed limit and another one for driving 21 mph over the speed limit, convictions in 2010 for driving without a license and for driving  with an instructional permit unaccompanied by a licensed driver and she had another driving without a license charge pending at the time of the crash, according to state court records.

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