A Cortez woman charged in a fatal crash that killed a motorcyclist in March appeared in court Tuesday, when a district court judge set a preliminary hearing and deferred action in a separate DUI case until the felony matter proceeds through the 22nd Judicial Court.
Shandine John, 33, appeared in person at Montezuma County Combined Courts with newly appointed attorney Barrie Newberger King. John is accused of vehicular homicide in connection with the death of Michael Burnison following a crash downtown the afternoon of March 24.
Authorities say the crash followed a REDDI report – Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately – about a driver who drove east from Dairy Queen in a black Dodge Ram 1500. John later admitted to driving. A blood draw showed a blood alcohol content of 0.285%, according to the arrest affidavit.
She also faces charges of driving under the influence and a fourth allegation of driving with a revoked license tied to a separate pending DUI case.
The hearing marked a routine step in the early stages of the case, known as a return filing of charges. Newberger King waived further advisement for her client before District Court Judge Todd Plewe on Tuesday morning, and Assistant District Attorney Justin Pierce requested that the court schedule a preliminary hearing.
The case was set for a three-hour hearing June 4 at 1:30 p.m. The hearing allows prosecutors to present enough evidence to show probable cause that a crime was committed and that John likely committed it.
The crash occurred around 4 p.m. March 24 at East Main Street and Hawkins Street during Cortez’s rush hour. It involved John’s pickup truck and Burnison’s motorcycle. Multiple 911 calls reported the crash, and bystanders who were medical professionals performed CPR before first responders arrived.
Police identified and arrested John at the scene. According to the affidavit, John initially gave conflicting statements before admitting, “It was me.”
She told officers she had consumed three to four beers about an hour before the crash.
Witness accounts were mixed, with some uncertainty about who was driving, though investigators ultimately determined no other driver was involved. During a police station interview, according to the arrest affidavit, John recounted the day’s events and told officers, “Yes, I was driving everything. I was driving through it all.”
A female passenger left the scene before officers arrived.
John was transported to Southwest Memorial Hospital for a blood draw and later booked into the Montezuma County Detention Center.
awatson@the-journal.com
