A woman who was out celebrating her birthday is now facing charges for intoxication manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident without rendering aid.
42-year-old Swinetta Marsh was out on the afternoon of Sunday, February 16, celebrating her birthday in Uptown Dallas. After the celebration, she got back on her Polaris Slingshot and decided to take a longer way home.
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The Dallas Police Department was called to a crash scene at the 2500 block of Cedar Springs Road after witnesses say they saw a pedestrian get hit by the Polaris Slingshot and the driver continue driving down the road.
The call came in around 5:00 p.m. and the pedestrian victim was taken to Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. She was pronounced dead from the injuries she sustained in the hit-and-run accident at 5:25 p.m.
While the Dallas Police Department was investigating the accident, the driver of the Polaris was involved in a second accident involving a 2018 Infiniti Q50 a short way down the road from where the hit-and-run occurred.
This is where police apprehended Marsh. Upon detaining her they could smell the liquor on her breath. She complied with a field sobriety test. It was noted by the police that she showed 16 of the 18 clues of intoxication. She refused to provide police with a blood sample though.
She stated she had only had one drink, a Chopin and tonic (vodka and tonic). Then her story changed, and she said she had a second drink but had given it away.
They obtained a warrant to draw her blood and she was taken to Parkland Hospital.
Results of the blood test have not been made public at this time. She was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid. Each of these had a $50,000 bond. Marsh posted them and is no longer in jail. It has not been released if she has acquired legal counsel.
The coroner has described the pedestrian victim as a female in her 50’s or 60’s. Other than that, they have no clues as to who she might be at the moment. She did not have any identification on her person when she was found.
The Dallas Police Department is still investigating the accident and will release more information when it becomes available.