A 34-year-old Wayland woman was found guilty this week in Allegan County Circuit Court of attempted operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, causing death.
Amber Lea Collige, 34, had pleaded no contest to driving a fast food vehicle that struck and killed 5-year-old Blake Huffman riding a bicycle last July in the Windsor Woods mobile home park. Circuit Judge Margaret Zuzich Bakker found Collige guilty based on Michigan State Police lab report.
The judge determined that THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, was found in the specimen vial of blood taken from Collige.
Though Collige pleaded no contest instead of guilty, the judge used the lab report and Wayland police report to determine she’d committed the offense.
Collige’s attorney, Paul Klein, asked the court to accept a no contest plea because of liability to a possible civil lawsuit she could face.
Bakker read the report from the Wayland Police Department which described how Collige was working as a delivery driver and driving in the Windsor Woods neighborhood to deliver food. The judge ruled the two reports were enough evidence to accept the plea and find the defendant guilty.
As part of a plea agreement with Allegan County Prosecutors Collige agreed to enter the no contest plea to the lesser charge of attempted operating while intoxicated causing death.
The hearing on sentencing was scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, April 29.
