Woman Sentenced to 16 Years for Killing 2 in Drunk Driving Crash

A judge has sentenced a Breckenridge woman to 16 years in prison for killing two people while drunk driving in 2019.

The incident occurred on August 30 of that year, when 32-year-old Lindsey Ward began driving southbound on Highway 9 after a day of drinking at the Breckenridge Golf Course.

According to a press release from the Colorado Fifth Judicial District Attorney's Office (DA5), Ward then over-corrected to avoid driving off the road, crossing the center line into oncoming traffic.

She crashed head-on with another vehicle, killing Benjamin Mitton, 41, and Nichole Gough, 43.

Colorado State Patrol later determined that Ward's blood alcohol level was three times over the legal limit at the time of the collision.

Ward pleaded guilty to two counts of Vehicular Homicide-DUI on April 28, 2020.

On Monday (June 15), the Chief Judge of the Fifth Judicial District sentenced her to 16 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC).

"Ms. Ward made the decision to drink, and the decision to get behind the wheel. Had she not, then this crash could have been prevented," said Deputy Fifth Judicial District Attorney Stephanie Cava in the press release. "Drinking and driving remains epidemic."

According to Colorado State Patrol, drunk driving caused 171 highway deaths in the state in 2019.