Probation violations land teen in prison for killing

A Lawrence teen convicted of killing a stalled motorist while driving drunk has blown her opportunity to avoid prison, a judge determined Friday.

Douglas County District Judge Jack Murphy revoked probation Friday for Ashleigh N. Juola, 19, and ordered her to serve a 32-month prison sentence for the September 2002 death of 24-year-old Heather Coulter.

At the time of her death, Coulter was an employee of The Farm Inc., a foster care firm with offices in Douglas County and Overland Park. She worked with foster children.

Juola initially received probation and completed a boot camp in Labette County, but after coming back to Lawrence she violated terms of her probation by drinking alcohol and staying out past curfew, Murphy found.

Juola’s attorney, Tim Riling, asked the judge to give Juola another chance before sending her to prison. Murphy said he already gave Juola a break by granting an exception to state sentencing guidelines that allowed her to be on probation in the first place.

“The departure gave Ms. Juola a wonderful break and a wonderful opportunity to avoid this prison time,” Murphy said. “I think she has blown a lot of good opportunities that she’s had.”

Bethany Daniels, a prosecutor in Dist. Atty. Christine Kenney’s office, argued for having Juola’s probation revoked.

Coulter was standing outside her stalled car at 19th and Iowa streets on Sept. 18, 2002, when she was stuck by a car driven Juola. At the time, Juola’s blood-alcohol limit was .12. The legal limit is .08.

Juola was 17 at the time of the wreck, but she agreed to be prosecuted as an adult as part of a plea agreement.