Austin man changes plea in felony criminal vehicular homcide case in Mower County District Court for a third time
An Austin man facing two felony criminal vehicular homicide charges in Mower County District Court when an Austin woman was struck and killed on Oakland Place SE near Oakland Avenue SE on the evening of December 30th, 2022 is changing his plea for a third time.
37-year old Darin Douglas Finley originally pleaded not guilty to felony charges of criminal vehicular homicide, driver who causes a collision leaves the scene, and criminal vehicular homicide, operate a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration of .08 or higher stemming from the death of 41-year old Melissa Rack of Austin. Finley then changed his plea to guilty to the felony criminal vehicular homicide, driver who causes a collision leaves the scene charge on September 11th, 2023, but he then withdrew his guilty plea on January 10th, 2024 after Judge Jeffery Kritzer refused to sentence Finley to probation, citing his failure to report the incident, or to call for aid.
At a plea hearing Monday, Finley was convicted after changing his plea on the felony criminal vehicular homicide, driver who causes a collision leaves the scene charge back to guilty, and sentencing in the case for Finley in Mower County District Court has been scheduled for September 12th.
