DWI Suspect Is a Drug Counselor - East Idaho News
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DWI Suspect Is a Drug Counselor

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Getty 112612 DrunkDriving?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1353959247371iStockphoto/Thinkstock(TORRANCE, Calif.) — A woman accused of driving drunk when she hit a pedestrian and who allegedly kept going for more than two miles while he was stuck to her car is a substance abuse counselor, officials said Monday.

Sherri Wilkins, 51, is accused of hitting Phillip Moreno, 35, with her Mitsubishi Eclipse, causing him to roll onto the car’s hood and then through the windshield. Moreno became embedded through the windshield as she continued driving for 2.3 miles, according to Torrance police.

Bystanders who saw Moreno on the hood of the car called police and eventually forced Wilkins to come to a stop.

Wilkins told police she “panicked” when she hit Moreno Saturday night around 11:30 p.m., according to Sgt. Robert Watt of the Torrance police department. Her blood alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit when she was tested after the accident, Watt said.

Wilkins, a recovering addict, was working as a “chemical dependency counselor” at Twin Town Treatment Center, the company’s president David Lisonbee told ABC News. He said that many counselors are recovering addicts. Lisonbee called the situation “tragic” and noted that Wilkins had not worked at the treatment center in the days leading up to the accident.

Moreno, who remained alive while embedded in the window, was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. He had been crossing the street when he was struck. Moreno’s family declined to comment about the accident.

Wilkins was charged with driving under the influence, felony hit and run, and manslaughter. She is being held on $100,000 bond and awaiting her arraignment, Watt said.

Lisonbee said that the situation highlights the need for counselors to prioritize their own recovery.

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