Detra Farries, Colo. Woman, Convicted In Tow Truck Driver's Death

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A woman was convicted Friday of vehicular homicide and other charges in the death of a tow truck driver who was dragged more than a mile by her vehicle.

Detra Farries, 33, showed little emotion as she learned the jury convicted her of all 11 counts she was facing, including manslaughter and leaving the scene of a deadly accident.

Prosecutors said that Farries drove away as Allen Lew Rose, 35, was preparing to tow her illegally parked SUV on Feb. 23, 2011, in Colorado Springs. He died after getting caught in a cable he had attached to her vehicle.

Farries' attorneys had argued that she didn't realize Rose was being dragged for more than a mile. Her side-view mirrors were broken.

Prosecutors countered with witnesses who testified they thought it looked like she was trying to shake Rose from her vehicle.

Farries is scheduled to be sentenced April 20.

Leaving the scene of a deadly accident is punishable by up to 24 years in prison, and Farries could be sentenced to up to 12 years in prison for manslaughter and vehicular homicide. Those were the three most serious charges Farries faced.

Rose's death inspired a new state law that requires tow truck drivers to place a large warning sticker on the driver's side window stating that the vehicle is under tow before hitching it up. Drivers passing by a car about to be towed are required to move over a lane for the safety of the tow operator, just like vehicles must give room to police vehicles pulling someone over.

Photo courtesy of Facebook.

Comments

[Ed Gibson]

06:16 PM on 02/28/2012

She look like an attitued problem in the photo, and it took this to put in a common sence law.

[PatA]

12:11 AM on 02/29/2012

Man, you are making no sense and you can't spell.

[mspender]

10:05 AM on 02/28/2012

In Mississippi Haley Barbour would have pardoned her.

[mjames5464]

09:46 AM on 02/28/2012

...Next on Reality TV...Colorado Springs Tow...

[smlyttle]

06:14 AM on 02/28/2012

Ok she had to do that on purpose. How can you not a see a big honking tow truck? That like saying you didn't see a barn after driving into it! She needs to feel the full force of the law on this.

[kat8966]

12:32 AM on 02/29/2012

It's not that she supposedly didn't see the tow truck; she knew he was about to tow her. What she supposedly didn't know was that he was being dragged behind her car.

[Tracee Collins]

11:55 PM on 02/27/2012

Selfish, entitled f**ktards like this, who view the rules as being meant for everyone ELSE, while blithely ignoring the guy hooking up her car---who was probably telling her over and over again to NOT drive the car, as he was hooking it up---make my trigger finger itch.

[climbing panda]

08:50 PM on 02/27/2012

drawing and quartering is too good for her

[climbing panda]

08:47 PM on 02/27/2012

whitney houston is alive!

[Thenintyninepointfive]

09:51 PM on 02/27/2012

That was TOTALLY unnecessary ! How can you fine humor in this tragedy ?

[climbing panda]

02:53 PM on 02/28/2012

please un-knot your skivvies.

[dawglover704]

04:49 PM on 02/27/2012

Thoughts go to Allen Lew Rose family

[zombywulf]

04:04 PM on 02/27/2012

Her depraved indifference demands the death penelty

[PC Destroyer]

03:25 PM on 02/27/2012

It's racist to charge her with any crime because the tow truck driver is guilty of White privilege.

[zombywulf]

03:58 PM on 02/27/2012

my but your insane

[climbing panda]

08:47 PM on 02/27/2012

you're

[Thenintyninepointfive]

09:49 PM on 02/27/2012

This has nothing to do with race. So why would you play the race card? She is a evil B@*%H

[Damn Strange]

12:07 PM on 02/27/2012

Tragic. I support the death penalty for violent crimes, treason and defrauding the public. Its a necessary deterrent.

[We the SHEEPle]

08:56 PM on 02/28/2012

Treason & defrauding We the SHEEPle, (the public)... surely you favor hanging select PoliticalScumBag's...

Good for you. I agree but, unfortunately most herein are quite happy with the way things are AND the way things are headed...

This event was indeed tragic. Keep all involved in your prayers. (If you don't believe in prayer, pray that you are right.)

[Patriotology]

10:45 AM on 02/27/2012

I hope they drag her off to prison for 24 years. Anyone have a spare cable?

[Michael Steaphens]

02:08 AM on 02/27/2012

She should just be put up against a wall and given a proper caliber punishment.What a vile woman!

[anitaj]

09:43 PM on 02/26/2012

My heart goes out to Mr. Rose’s family and friends. What a horrific way to die.

Society needs to be protected from Ms. Farries and the callousness she shows to other people. In her vain attempt to avoid having her car towed she not only killed a man, she ended the opportunities she may have had for a meaningful life.

[DenverBigDaddy]

09:43 PM on 02/26/2012

Dragging her behind the car for a mile or two seems appropriate. What kind of person could do this? No way you can "rehab" someone like this.