Woman faces charges from BCSD office collision

Woman faces charges from BCSD office collision

BONNERS FERRY — A Bonners Ferry woman is facing a charge of driving under the influence as well as two misdemeanor drug charges in connection to a vehicle collision at the Boundary County School District office on April 4.

Stephanie M. Stolley, 36, is facing charges of DUI, possession of a controlled substance and drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanors. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Bonners Ferry Police Officer Jeremey Garrett responded to 7188 Oak Street and observed a woman walking away from the scene in an eastward direction, he wrote in a probable cause affidavit. Onlookers told him she was the driver of the Chrysler minivan that collided with the office.

Garrett wrote he saw Stolley touching her crotch and that she allegedly told him she had driven into the building, because she was driving too fast around the corner at Arizona Street and was using her cellphone.

Later in the court documents, Stolley allegedly said she swerved to avoid a cat.

Court documents said the vehicle smelled like alcohol. Stolley said she’d “hadn’t been responsible” and had been drinking earlier. During a pat down, law enforcement smelled marijuana on Stolley. She allegedly said that she had smoked marijuana that afternoon.

Throughout the night there were nine attempts of a breath test, each time with insufficient breath. Court documents said officers marked this down as a refusal after several attempts and instructed Stolley how to breathe inorder to take the test.

Once at the Boundary County jail, a bud of marijuana, THC vape pen cartigran and a pipe were later found on and in Stolley’s person, according to court records

Due to no officers being present at the time of the incident, BCSD Superintendent Jan Bayer issued a citizen’s arrest and filled out the proper paperwork.

Bayer said she began to experience back pain, as several books on the bookshelf behind her had fallen on her back when the building was struck. Three other witnesses from the aftermath of the collision came forward. One man found Stolley still in the vehicle with the airbags deployed trying to restart the car, court documents said.

On April 5, Stolley was released on her own volition. A pre-trial conference is scheduled for May 11 and jury trial is scheduled for May 16.

The district office was closed to give crews a chance to investigate damage to the building after a vehicle collided with the building on Tuesday, April 4, hitting a bean outside the superintendent’s office.

Bayer told the Herald that the district’s insurance carrier ICRMP and a structural engineer examined the building on April 7. The superintendent said a beam was installed by BF Builders to stabilize the roof and structure for the moment.

“We will be returning to the district office, but my office will be moved to another part of the building,” she said. “Once a final determination is made on the expense to repair the building, then final decisions will be made.”