Slidell woman indicted for vehicular homicide

By Matthew Penix
St. Tammany News
Published on Friday, December 12, 2008 9:08 AM CST

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A St. Tammany Parish grand jury on Tuesday indicted a suspected drunk driver who ran over and killed a 53-year-old confined to a wheelchair.

Kimberlin Edwards, 40 of 38025 Pearl River St., Slidell, faces up to 30 years if convicted on the vehicular homicide charge stemming from the Oct. 20 accident that killed Rolan Withers.

Withers, who was confined to the motorized wheelchair because he lost his leg in a previous accident, was hit and ejected as he drove along the grassy shoulder outside his Donya Drive home, just west of Slidell. He died at the scene.

Edwards, whose blood alcohol content registered .095, slightly higher than the legal limit of .08, surprised authorities by escaping injury in the accident. After she hit Withers she overcompensated and veered left, hit a ditch and flipped, Sheriff’s Office Capt. George Bonnett said at the time.

Edwards and an unidentified friend crawled out of the white Buick Rendezvous. Deputies found them “dazed and wandering around the street,” Bonnett said.

Deputies also found cocaine and marijuana inside Edwards’ car. As in other similar cases, its likely prosecutors will pursue the misdemeanor marijuana charge at a later date.

No trial was set as of deadline.

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