Police: CT woman more than twice the legal limit during fatal crash charged with DUI, manslaughter

A New London woman arrested Tuesday on manslaughter and DUI charges was allegedly more than twice the legal limit when she fled a car stop minutes before she was involved in a fatal rollover crash in Ledyard in February.

Amber Lahue, 23, turned herself in on charges of second-degree manslaughter with a motor vehicle, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, reckless driving and improper passing, according to the Ledyard Police Department.

The charges stem from a crash on Feb. 22 around 9:30 p.m. on Route 12 in Gales Ferry, police said. Following the crash, the back seat passenger, 27-year-old Aaron Baldwin Jr. of New London, was taken to William Backus Hospital in Norwich, where he was pronounced dead, according to the arrest warrant affidavit.

According to the warrant affidavit, a front seat passenger in Lahue’s vehicle told authorities Lahue picked her up between 6:30 and 7 p.m. before picking up Baldwin and another man. They went to a restaurant in Groton where the passenger alleged that she and Lahue each had two Hennessy and Coke mixed drinks, the warrant affidavit said.

The woman told police that she, Lahue and Baldwin left about an hour later and went to another restaurant in Gales Ferry, the warrant affidavit said. The fourth person with them took an Uber home.

At the second restaurant, the woman alleged that she and Lahue each had one drink before they left, according to the warrant affidavit.

Investigators said they were able to corroborate the series of events through the GPS monitor on Baldwin, who was on parole at the time, police wrote.

Shortly after leaving the second restaurant, an officer pulled Lahue over on Route 12 in the area of Oakridge Drive just before 9:30 p.m. As the officer was writing a ticket for speeding, Lahue allegedly took off quickly heading north on Route 12, according to the warrant affidavit.

The officer followed but did not turn on his lights or sirens. He alleged witnessed Lahue cross over the yellow center lines and pass other motorists before moving back into the northbound lane, the warrant affidavit said. The officer then lost sight of the vehicle.

According to the warrant affidavit, Baldwin’s GPS monitor allegedly showed the vehicle he was in was moving at speeds up to 95 mph in a 45 mph zone.

Police were later able to speak to multiple witnesses who alleged that Lahue crossed over the yellow center lines again to pass other drivers and as she moved back into the proper lane, she lost control of her vehicle around a curve, according to the warrant affidavit. The vehicle left the road and rolled over, striking a boulder at one point before landing on its roof, the warrant affidavit said.

The collision left Baldwin trapped in the backseat.

Lahue and the front seat passenger were able to get out of the car before police arrived. The passenger was taken to Backus Hospital to be evaluated.

According to the warrant affidavit, Lahue was placed in the rear of a police cruiser where authorities could smell alcohol while speaking to her. She told police she had two drinks prior to the crash, the warrant affidavit said.

Lahue was later taken to Backus Hospital where a blood sample was taken. Police obtained a search warrant for her medical records that reportedly showed her blood alcohol content following the crash was 0.21, according to the warrant affidavit. The legal limit to drive in Connecticut is 0.08.

The warrant for Lahue’s arrest was signed by a judge on Monday.

She posted a $150,000 bond following her arrest and is scheduled to be arraigned in New London Superior Court on May 21.