Photo: Monroe County Sheriff’s Office
A 46-year-old Florida woman who allegedly admitted to fatally striking a woman with her Mercedes Benz will stand trial this fall on several charges, a court official tell PEOPLE.
April Thomason, 46, is accused of killing Stephanie Collins on Sept. 16, 2015, as the 49-year-old woman was walking with her friend on a Key West sidewalk.
Thomason, the records state, also tried to run over Collins’ friend, who jumped out of the way as the vehicle hopped the curb.
On Tuesday, a judge denied a request from Kevin McCarthy, Thomason’s public defender, to have the trial moved two hours north to Plantation Key, which McCarthy believed was a more favorable location for Thomason, the court official says.
McCarthy argued the case has received too much media coverage in the area, it would be impossible to amass an unbiased jury pool.
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According to the court official, Thomason told police that at the time of the deadly incident, she was coming down off the anti-anxiety medication. Records allege she began praying while sitting inside her car, and allegedly said God distracted her, causing the fatality.
“She said she didn’t know if she hit the female, because God arched her back, causing her to look up, so she did not see the female,” reads the police report on the crash.
Jury selection has been scheduled for Sept. 17.
If a jury cannot be selected, the proceedings will be move to Plantation Key.
Police said Thomason also said she tried to strike a bicyclist with her car.
McCarthy could not be reached for comment.
source: people.com
