A Santa Barbara woman is facing DUI and other felony charges stemming from a high-speed crash on the Mesa in Santa Barbara that severely injured her passenger.
Sofia Nichole Koch, 19, accompanied by her attorney, turned herself in to police on Wednesday, according to Anthony Wagner, a Santa Barbara Police Department spokesman.
Koch allegedly was intoxicated and behind the wheel of a stolen Land Rover that reportedly was traveling in excess of 100 mph on May 7 when it clipped one parked vehicle and slammed into another on the 1500 block of Cliff Drive.
Her passenger, Maesyn Fitzgibbons, 20, of Santa Barbara, suffered major injuries in the crash, and Koch also was injured, Wagner said.
The impact of the crash was great enough to propel a parked Scion sedan 160 feet down the roadway.
Koch allegedly stole the vehicle from a gathering in Santa Barbara, Wagner said, adding that he did not know the location or nature of the gathering.
She was charged by the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office with three felonies — driving under the influence causing injury; driving with a blood-alcohol level greater than .08 percent causing injury; and vehicle theft, according to Santa Barbara Superior Court records.
She also faces a misdemeanor count of driving without a license, and charge enhancements of excess speed, refusing to take or complete a blood-alcohol/drug test, and being a habitual criminal.
Koch remained in custody Thursday night at the Santa Barbara County Jail, with bail set at $100,000.
Fitzgibbons suffered major injuries, including multiple broken bones, excessive blood loss and the amputation of one foot, according to a GoFundMe account set up for her.
She reportedly is recovering at the Cottage Rehabilitation Hospital.
— Noozhawk executive editor Tom Bolton can be reached at tbolton@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.