Michele Schuster, 23 of Cincinnati, allegedly drove left of center April 22 while driving a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier north on Cox Road near Liberty Way. She ran into a group of Duke Energy subcontractors who were working in the area.
One of the five subcontractors injured in the crash, 24-year-old Amber Rooks of Norwood, died on May 2 in the hospital from injuries she suffered in the accident.
According to court records, “Michele Schuster did operate a 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier … while voluntarily impaired on a drug abuse (marijuana, metabolite and alprazolam) causing her to leave her lane of travel, cross into oncoming traffic, striking several pedestrians and a 2014 Freightliner. One of the pedestrians, Amber Marie Rooks, was killed as a direct result of the collision.”
Rooks was employed by the traffic safety control company Area Wide Protective and was working as a flagger, handling traffic in the work zone at the time of the crash.
The prosecutor’s office was given extra time to investigate the case, but Prosecutor Mike Gmoser said he couldn’t discuss that aspect of the case. He did say they are prepared to try the case.
“It was a very thorough investigation pulling together many resources both from a standpoint of the physical circumstances of the crash as well as the issue of a chemical impairment, as charged in the indictment,” he said. “I expect to have a thorough presentation of this case to trier of facts.”
Schuster was bound over to the grand jury from the Area III court on July 15 and she posted bond the next day. The bond was set at $305,000 and she posted the required 10 percent.
She is scheduled to be arraigned by Judge Keith Spaeth on Thursday.
About the Author