photo by: Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Autumn S. Hale, pictured Aug. 13, 2019

A Lawrence woman pleaded no contest Friday in an August DUI accident that left another woman injured.

Autumn Sky Hale, 43, was convicted Friday in Douglas County District Court of aggravated battery, a felony, and driving under the influence, a misdemeanor, in connection with an early-morning car accident on Aug. 13, 2019.

In court Friday, Assistant District Attorney Cathy Eaton said the victim’s injuries included one to her spine that she’s still dealing with.

According to court documents, Hale told police she was heading to a friend’s house from downtown. She was eastbound on 19th Street when she went through a flashing red light in her Toyota Camry and struck a Pontiac sedan that was northbound on Haskell Avenue, which had a flashing yellow light.

Hale failed field sobriety tests, and a breath test came back with a reading of .134% blood alcohol content, according to the police affidavit supporting Hale’s arrest. That is above the legal limit of .08%.

Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical first responders extricated the other driver from the Pontiac, and she was taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for treatment of her injuries, according to the affidavit. The victim told Lawrence police later that Hale had asked her if she’d called 911, “unless you don’t want to call them,” according to the accident report.

As a condition of the plea, Eaton said the state would agree to recommend a mitigated sentence for Hale, who will most likely face probation. Eaton also said the state would ask that after six months on probation, Hale be considered for early release.

Judge Sally Pokorny ordered a presentence investigation to determine Hale’s criminal history. Hale is set to be sentenced on Feb. 28.