COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- Although Detra Farries has been arrested on manslaughter charges, District Attorney Dan May said at a press conference Monday afternoon no formal charges have been filed against her at this time.
May said his office and the Colorado Springs Police Department are still investigating and haven't decided what, if any charges, Farries should face.
"Keep in mind we are at the investigative stage," May said. "Keep in mind that we're at a stage that we've not decided what charges will be filed or if charges will be filed at all."
May said they still need to go over a lot of information before they can move forward with the case.
"I know that there have been a lot of questions about how quickly things can be done," May said. "I want people to remember that this is a scene that is a mile, almost a mile and a half long. They've interviewed well over 50 witnesses. That's a lot of information and a lot of evidence that has to be looked at."
May said they are focusing on the facts, and that's how they will determine what charges to file.
"This is unprecedented in this community and this state. This isn't something that has come up," May said. "This is very unique. It is something the police is trying to be very careful with, our office is trying to be very careful with it. We're trying to come to the appropriate results for the facts in this case and for the laws that would apply to it."
The Colorado Springs Police Department said they are still looking for witnesses, and anyone who may have information should contact them at 444-7000.
"Different witnesses may see different things," May said. "Different people have different perceptions, and we want to make sure we get all that information, and we're trying to decide what the facts are, what the real circumstances are, and again if and what charges may or may not be appropriate."
May said Farries has been cooperative and wanted to remind the public that she should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.
"There is nobody in this case who isn't very emotional and traumatized by this incident," May said. "This is just a horrific incident. It affected everybody involved."
Farries' state of mind will play an important role in determining what charges are brought against her.
"Certainly if somebody knows what they're doing or intends for a certain outcome that has certain consequences. On the other side of the coin, if someone doesn't know what's happening we then review the laws for what a reasonable, prudent person would do under those circumstances and what the laws, the legal requirements are for that reasonable, prudent, person," May said.
Allen Rose's family will also have a say in what happens.
"The victims have a right to have input into the charging process," May said. "They have a right to have input into the bonding process, the sentencing process. We very much honor that in our office."
Farries is set for an advisement hearing on March 2 and a possible filing of charges on March 9.
"On March 9, we will make a decision then whether we will file charges or not," May said. "The DA's office at that point is free to not file charges, file less severe charges, the same charges or more severe charges. Again we'll be looking at what the facts are and what the appropriate definition is under our law that may or may not apply to those facts."
Click here to listen to Monday's press conference from the District Attorney's Office
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Original Story:
The woman accused of driving the SUV involved with the dragging death of a tow truck driver last week has bailed out of jail.
Detra Farries, the owner and driver of the SUV that dragged 35-year-old tow truck driver Allen Rose more than a mile to his death Wednesday, posted a $50,000 bond to get out of jail. Police arrested her Friday and charged her with manslaughter.
Farries has a court appearance scheduled for 3:15 p.m. Wednesday and another scheduled for 8:30 a.m. March 9.
Rose was attempting to tow Farries' SUV after police said it was parked illegally. Farries got in the SUV while Rose was connecting it to the tow truck and drove off. Rose's feet got tangled in the chains, and the SUV dragged him for more than a mile from Hill Park apartments on S. Murray Boulevard to the intersection of Platte Avenue and Babcock Road, where he was freed.
He died a short time later at Memorial Hospital.
Members of the towing community gathered for a vigil Thursday and paid their respects. A funeral will be held Tuesday at 11 a.m., and it is open to the public.
Farries' husband Terroll was sentenced to four years in prison for the hit-and-run death of a woman in Denver back in 2009.
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