Austin man pleads guilty to felony criminal vehicular homicide charge in Mower County District Court

An Austin man involved in a fatal hit-and-run accident while intoxicated in southeast Austin in December of 2022 is pleading guilty in Mower County District Court.

36-year-old Darin Douglas Finley pleaded guilty Monday to a felony charge of criminal vehicular homicide, driver who causes a collision leaves the scene.  Austin Police reported that Finley was driving his vehicle the evening of December 30, 2022, when he struck 41-year old Melissa Rack of Austin, on Oakland Place SE near Oakland Avenue SE.  Officers stated that Rack was not breathing and also had no pulse when her body was found.  Rack was administered CPR but was declared dead at the scene.  Using debris from the scene and a witness statement, police stated that they located the vehicle that had struck and killed Rack in a driveway in the 1700 block of 1st Avenue SE.  Austin Police reported that the vehicle had sustained damage consistent with the debris from the scene.  Finley was found at the residence where the vehicle was parked and taken into custody, and he also allegedly told family members the damage to his vehicle had been caused by hitting a deer.  

Finley initially pleaded not guilty on January 3rd to not only the felony criminal vehicular homicide charge, but also to a felony charge of criminal vehicular homicide, operate a motor vehicle with an alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.  Sentencing for Finley in Mower County District Court has been scheduled for December 21st.  

Finley also pleaded guilty Monday to a gross misdemeanor charge for DWI, refusal to submit to a chemical test, blood or urine as required by a search warrant after he was taken into custody on February 19th while driving intoxicated in the city of Austin.  Finley was also charged with a misdemeanor for driving after suspension after having his license revoked in January, and sentencing for Finley in Mower County District Court has been scheduled for December 21st.