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Woman charged with manslaughter in hit-and-run accident
Roberta Byrd, 47, of Lignum, Va., was arrested and charged with manslaughter in connection with the death of a 19-year-old girl on April 4, police said.
Virginia State Trooper Doug Pugh is assigned to the Area 12 Office in Warrenton. He conducted the investigation that resulted in the arrest.
According to the trooper, Byrd was driving south on Lee's Mill Road at approximately 6:46 p.m. when she lost control of her vehicle and struck a pedestrian. Byrd kept driving and lost control of the vehicle again, hitting a telephone pole, Pugh said.
Virginia State Police Sgt. Franz Mahler said the 19-year-old victim was transported to Fauquier Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Pugh said that the victim was identified as Lauren Detrio. She was originally from Florida, but was living in the Warrenton area at the time of the accident, he said.
In addition to manslaughter, Byrd was charged with driving after being adjudicated an habitual offender, refusal to permit blood or breath tests, DUI [second offense within five years] and felony hit and run.
Pugh said Byrd remained in custody at the Fauquier County Adult Detention Center without bond early this week.
She is scheduled to appear in Fauquier County General District Court May 22.
E-mail the reporter: abogdanovic@timespaper.com
This is the most tragic incident that I have ever seen. Lauren was the kindest, sweetest young lady that you would ever want to meet. I can say this first hand due to the fact that her and her boyfriend rented a house from my wife and I. She was only 19 years old and to be taken away so suddenly and under such circumstnces is beyond belief. She came to Virginia from Florida to start a new life with her future husband. They only arrived in January. Her boyfriend Mike who is 20 took a position at the Inn at Little Washington. His intentions were to stay there as a chef and work his way up the ladder. He was working long hours and doing very well it appeared. On Friday, 4-4-08 Lauren had a girlfriend come from Florida to visit for a few days. That afternoon, as she did often, she and her friend decided to go for a walk. I saw them heading down the road together. Little did I know that that would be the last time that I ever would see her again alive. We received the horrible news of the accident eary Saturday. Laurens friend explained what happened. How a car came upon them driving from one side of the road to the other. The driver of the car hit Lauren and then kept going and how Lauren laid on the side of the road breathing her last lifes breath. We knew nothing pertaining to the driver or any details of the investigation of the accident until today. What I read today in the Fauquier Times Democrat has got me in shock. A drunk driver, a previous DUI, not cooperating with the authoriies, failure to stop after the accident. This is just unacceptable. What could have been running through this persons mind not stopping? In her state of mind did she think that she was really going to get away? Did she care about the victim? I sincerely hope that this driver gets everything possible from the courts that is coming to her. A person like this should be put away for a long time. This was a sweet little girl that got taken away due to someone getting behind the wheel intoxicated. I pray for her family, Mike and anyone that had the blessing of knowing her.
Posted by Billy
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