Kuna woman sentenced to probation, time served in cyclist's death

BOISE -- A woman who was drunk when she hit and killed a cyclist on Meridian Road in 2014 was sentenced last week to probation and time served.

Sharon Howell, 44, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DUI and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter Friday. Howell had originally been charged with felony vehicular manslaughter, but prosecutors amended the charge in exchange for Howell's guilty plea.

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She was sentenced to a year and 180 days in jail with credit for time served, and the remainder of the sentence suspended. Howell was ordered to spend four years on probation, and her license will be suspended for those four years, Prosecutor Tanner Stellmon said.

Deputies say Howell's blood alcohol content was measured at .09 after her car collided with the cyclist Nov. 28. Kurt Krieger of Boise, 46, was crossing Meridian Road at the Lake Hazel intersection when he was hit.

Krieger was not wearing a helmet, and died at the scene.

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Howell was arrested and formally charged with causing Krieger's death nearly eight months later.

Stellmon said Howell could be sent back to jail to serve out her sentence if she violates her probation. The defendant and Krieger's family reached a civil settlement, he said. 

"The case had some procedural ups and some procedural downs," he said. "In the end, this seemed like a good resolution and the victim's family was OK with it."
 

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