CLEARFIELD – A Smoke Run woman facing homicide by vehicle charges in connection with an accident that killed a two-year-old girl pleaded guilty Thursday.
Jacqueline M. Lidgett, 56, was sentenced to serve three to six years in state prison for homicide by vehicle while DUI and endangering the welfare of children by Judge Paul E. Cherry.
Prior to sentencing, Lidgett stated that she is “truly sorry” and acknowledged that her actions “hurt a lot of people.”
According to the affidavit of probable cause, on Sept. 21, 2020 at 4:50 p.m., police were called to Banion Road in Bigler Township after a report of a crash involving a vehicle with two occupants.
State police reported that Lidgett’s vehicle went off the right side of the road, down an embankment, struck multiple trees and overturned. A two-year-old girl was killed in the impact.
In an interview with police, Lidgett stated she only remembered swerving to miss something in the roadway but couldn’t remember what it was.
Security cameras near the site of the crash reportedly showed a black SUV similar to Lidgett’s vehicle passing at 4:36 p.m.
In the photos, the driver was slumped over the steering wheel and the vehicle was over the fog line, police said.
On Nov. 25, 2020, Lidgett was again questioned by police. At that point, she said the last thing she remembered before the crash was turning onto state Route 453 and passing the Madera Moose. The next thing she knew she was “upside down”.
A blood test revealed that Lidgett was under the influence of methamphetamine, amphetamine, and four other drugs at the time of the accident, according to the report.