BALTIMORE (MD)
WBAL
[with video]
BALTIMORE —A trial date is set for the Maryland Episcopal bishop charged in a fatal drunken driving crash.
Bishop Heather Cook appeared in court Thursday morning, entered a not-guilty plea and received a trial date set for June 4.
Prosecutors said they have evidence that Cook did not apply the brakes on her Subaru during the crash that killed cyclist Tom Palermo in December. Cook’s blood-alcohol content was 0.22 — nearly three times the legal limit — and she was texting right before the crash, prosecutors said.
The 58-year-old is facing more than a dozen charges, including manslaughter, driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident.
During the brief court proceeding, Palermo’s family sat right behind Cook. No words were exchanged, though Cook’s lawyer spoke with a family representative later.
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