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Woman takes plea deal in Dawson County crash death

Hailey Boutin

LEXINGTON, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska woman accused of causing a fatal accident while texting has taken a plea deal.

Court records say 19-year-old Hailey Boutin, of Eustis, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor vehicular homicide after prosecutors lowered it from a felony count. Her sentencing is scheduled for July 17.

Authorities say Boutin likely was distracted by a text message on her cellphone Sept. 19, moments before running a stop sign about 10 miles (16 kilometers) south of Cozad on Nebraska Highway 21 and slamming into another vehicle. The impact caused the other vehicle to roll several times, killing a passenger, 59-year-old Mary Robertson, who lived in Cozad. The crash seriously injured Robertson’s husband, 64-year-old Monte Robertson, who was driving.

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