Defense attorneys have requested that bond be reduced for a Utah woman accused of killing two people in a head-on collision.
In custody on a $75,000 bond, Rowena Yanito, 33, of Bluff, Utah, appeared in court this week, requesting a bond reduction in order to address long-term health implications. Public defender Katie Whitney argued that her client suffered serious injuries as a result of the traffic collision, including a lacerated heart and fractured breastplate.
“She’s not getting medical care at the jail,” Whitney said.
Whitney also explained that Yanito was needed at home to care for her three children.
“She has no prior felony convictions,” Whitney continued, requesting a $10,000 bond.
Whitney also reminded the court that prosecutors had wrongly charged another woman in the case, stating eyewitnesses at the scene had provided conflicting accounts as to who was driving the automobile in question.
Assistant District Attorney Sean Murray argued against a bond reduction, citing the defendant could receive proper medical treatment while incarcerated.
“The suspect tried to frame another woman,” Murray said.
Chief District Court Judge Doug Walker reminded prosecutors that they filed charges against the wrong suspect.
“It’s a great source of shame for me personally,” Murray replied.
Walker subsequently took the bond measure under advisement, setting a new bond hearing for Nov. 5. If released from custody, the court raised concerns whether Yanito could be adequately monitored after returning to her home on the Navajo reservation.
“We need a solid plan about where she’s going to be, and how she is going to be supervised,” Walker demanded. “My main concern here is the safety of the community.”
Vehicular homicide charges were dropped against a Farmington, N.M., woman after she spent nearly six months in the Montezuma County jail awaiting trial.
Yanito was subsequently arrested on July 13. She’s charged with multiple counts of vehicular homicide, assault and DUI stemming from the fiery head-on collision along the 6800 block of County Road G on Dec. 13.
At an arraignment hearing last month, Yanito pleaded not guilty to a total of 12 charges. Expected to last seven days, a jury trial is set for Jan. 4.
A Colorado State Patrol accident reconstruction analysis revealed that a westbound Chrysler Pacifica was driving at least 80 mph when it crossed a double yellow line in a curve striking an eastbound Nissan Sentra head-on at about 5:15 p.m. on the day in question. Yvonne Padilla, 40, and Gerald Padilla, 36, both died as a result of the collision. Three others were seriously injured.
According to a toxicology report, Yanito was more than three times over the legal limit when tested for alcohol two hours after the accident.
According to authorities, a charred keg of beer was found inside Yanito’s burned-out Pacifica.
tbaker@the-journal.com