BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (IUSTV News) — A Monroe County judge sentenced a Bloomington man to six years in prison after pleading guilty this week to hitting and killing a woman with his car in June 2022.
Caleb Washburn, will spend six years in prison followed by a year of probation. In addition, the state suspended Washburn's license for the next 12 years.
As part of the plea agreement reached earlier this week, Washburn pleaded guilty to one count of causing death when operating a motor vehicle with while under a controlled substance, a level 4 felony. In exchange, prosecutors dropped the other two other felony charges.
However, Washburn may not end up serving all six years in prison. At sentencing, a judge recommended Washburn participate in Purposeful Incarceration, where his sentence may be modified if he completes a substance abuse treatment program.
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BACKGROUND
According to court documents, on June 10, 2022, 50-year-old Stacy Lamb, of Bloomington, was walking her dogs on Airport Road just before 9 p.m. that night. Police responded to the area a short time later, after a callers alerted to a pedestrian getting hit.
Washburn told investigators that Lamb was walking in the road and he swerved to avoid her, but police said evidence at the scene showed Lamb was walking off of the road. Washburn also claimed the crash was unavoidable because, when he looked up from his phone, it was too late to avoid hitting Lamb.
Investigators said another driver who was in front of Washburn reported that Lamb has crossed Airport Road in front of him, and that he could see the car behind him cross the center line and into the grass, where Lamb was walking.
Court documents say police suspected Washburn was intoxicated, and conducted field sobriety tests, which he reportedly failed. Washburn also refused to submit to a blood draw, but had no other option after police were granted a search warrant.
The tests shows that Washburn tested positive for a synthetic opioid.
