White pleads not guilty

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JACKSON — More than a year after the one-vehicle rollover that caused the death of Michael Lloyd Unger, alleged driver Lacey Marie White pleaded not guilty in Jackson County District Court Monday to three counts of criminal vehicular homicide while under the influence of alcohol, careless driving and driving without a valid license.

The incident that caused Unger’s death took place Oct. 7, 2007, in the City of Heron Lake. Court documents state authorities were dispatched to the scene on Second Avenue at 1:13 a.m. and found a truck, later identified as belonging to Unger, severely wrecked. Behind the wheel complaining of injury was White.

According to the criminal complaint, the responding officer could smell a strong odor of alcoholic beverage coming from White. While waiting for the Jaws of Life to arrive, the officer learned from White she had not been alone in the vehicle.

More law enforcement arrived and began walking the ditches surrounding the area until Unger’s body, which had been ejected, was located approximately 90 feet away from the truck.

While at the hospital, White made remarks that caused the staff to believe there may also be a baby at the scene, but the child was later discovered to be in Brewster with her father, White’s boyfriend.

The boyfriend told authorities he had spoken with her by phone earlier that evening, and that she had seemed extremely intoxicated. Her keys had allegedly been taken away from her at the bar she was in. He had also spoken with Unger, a friend of theirs, who had said he would make sure she got a ride home or could sleep on his couch.

Shortly before 4 a.m., a blood sample was taken from White that showed a blood alcohol concentration of .19.

Charges were not filed in the case until February, and in March White was released on her own recognizance. In June, an order was filed for a Rule 20 mental evaluation on White for competency to proceed and mental illness.

A pre-trial conference is tentatively scheduled for mid-December, with a three-day jury trial to be worked into the court calendar at a later date.

Tags: news, autoaccident, michaelunger, laceywhite, jacksoncounty, jacksoncountydistrictcourt, criminalvehicularhomicide, heronlake, alcohol