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BRPD: 20-year-old accused of fatal hit-and-run that killed 2 along Nicholson was above legal BAC limit
WBRZ • • nation
Key Points:
- A 20-year-old woman, Mia Dawson, is accused of fatally striking LSU student Leah Fonte and her fiancé Shane Hirstius with her car on Nicholson Drive; both victims later died from their injuries.
- Dawson had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.048%, exceeding the legal limit of 0.02% for individuals under 21, according to Baton Rouge Police arrest documents.
- The crash occurred around 2:40 a.m. when Dawson allegedly veered off the road and hit the couple walking on the shoulder; she then fled the scene but later reported her vehicle at a nearby Circle K.
- Dawson denied drinking when questioned but failed field sobriety tests and tested over the legal BAC limit on a breathalyzer.
- She was charged with first-offense DWI, reckless operation, hit-and-run, and vehicular homicide, and is scheduled for her first court appearance on Monday.
