Charges have been filed against the woman the California Highway Patrol says was driving drunk when she hit and killed a Morro Bay pastor in Los Osos last month and took off.
Emily Bales faces charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated with a special allegation that she fled the scene of the Nov. 18 crash.
She also faces charges of driving under the influence causing injury with special allegations of inflicting great bodily harm.
The charges were filed this week in San Luis Obispo County Superior Court. The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office says the CHP submitted the case to its office for review just last week.
The California Highway Patrol identified the victim as Dale Paulsen, 67, of Los Osos. Paulsen, the pastor of Morro Bay Presbyterian Church, was reportedly walking along Ramona Avenue when he was hit. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Bales, who was 24 at the time of the crash, is currently out of custody, according to jail logs.
She is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges Jan. 2.
If convicted, she faces up to nine years in state prison.
