A Los Osos woman charged in the death of a Morro Bay pastor last year is expected to be sentenced to more than six years in state prison after entering into a plea agreement earlier this month.
The San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office says Emily Bales, 25, pleaded no contest Sept. 18 to a charge of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence and admitted to fleeing the scene of the Nov. 18, 2018 crash in Los Osos.
Investigators say Bales was behind the wheel when she struck Dale Paulsen, who was reportedly walking along the shoulder of Ramona Avenue in Los Osos in the evening hours.
Paulsen, 67, died at the scene due to multiple blunt force injuries, according to a San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s coroner, who testified at Bales’ preliminary hearing in May.
A breathalyzer test completed about two hours after the crash reportedly revealed Bales had a Blood Alcohol Content of .13, which is about one-and-a-half times the legal driving limit.
It’s possibly Bales will not serve the entire prison sentence.
The DA’s Office says under Prop. 57, she could be considered for parole after serving only eight months.
Sentencing is set for Oct. 21.
