FARMINGTON — A Kingfield woman pleaded guilty Friday to a lesser charge of driving drunk in connection to the death of a Strong man in July 2018.

Danielle Larochelle Franklin County Detention Center

Danielle M. Larochelle, 32, had faced up to 30 years on a manslaughter charge and 10 years on an operating under the influence charge resulting in death.

In a plea agreement with the state, she pleaded guilty to aggravated criminal operating under influence, according to documents filed at Farmington court. A conviction on the charge carries a maximum five years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.

A sentencing date has not been set.

Larochelle was the driver of a 2004 Chevrolet Aveo which was going west on West Kingfield Road in Kingfield at about 10:10 p.m. July 8, 2018. She reportedly attempted to avoid a deer in the road and lost control with the car going off the road and striking several trees, according to a release the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

Nicholas Shurtleff, 25, of Strong was ejected from the car and died at the scene. Larochelle and a second passenger, Benjamin Bowman, also of Kingfield who were not wearing seatbelts, were injured and taken by ambulance to a hospital, according to the release. A third passenger, Patrick Wyman of Kingfield, was wearing a seatbelt and was not taken by ambulance to a hospital.

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She was arrested on an OUI charge in August 2018 and indicted in January 2019 on a charge of OUI resulting in death and manslaughter.

The state dismissed the same charges without prejudice against Larochelle in June 2019 because further evidence needed to be investigated, Deputy District Attorney James Andrews said at the time. She was reindicted on the charges in October 2019.

According to a Sheriff’s Office release in August 2018, Larochelle’s blood-alcohol content at the time of the crash was 0.219, which is more than two times the legal limit of 0.08.

There have been a couple of hearings connected to limiting evidence and testimony in the case within the past year with the most recent on Feb. 11 regarding the handling and testing of blood samples.

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