Woman pleads not guilty in Oklahoma State parade crash
STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — A woman accused of driving her car into Oklahoma State's homecoming parade, killing four people and injuring dozens, pleaded not guilty Wednesday.
Adacia Chambers, 25, entered her plea in Payne County District Court after previously waiving her right to a preliminary hearing. Chambers is charged with four counts of second-degree murder and more than 40 counts of assault and battery in the Oct. 24 crash.
Prosecutors say Chambers intentionally drove her car around a barricade and into spectators at the parade.
FILE - This undated file booking photo provided by the Stillwater Police Department shows Adacia Chambers, who is accused of driving her car into Oklahoma State's homecoming parade. Chambers pleaded not guilty Wednesday, May 4, 2016, in Payne County District Court after previously waiving her right to a preliminary hearing. (Stillwater Police Department via AP, File)
A pretrial conference is set for June 1, but Judge Stephen Kistler did not set a trial date after Chambers' attorney, Tony Coleman, said he is still seeking information from prosecutors.
Payne County District Attorney Laura Thomas has said evidence suggests the incident "was an intentional act, not an accident."
Coleman says his client is mentally ill, that when he told Chambers about the deaths after the crash, "her face was blank" and that he was not sure Chambers was aware that she was in jail.
Chambers' father, Floyd Chambers, has said previously that his daughter received inpatient mental health treatment several years ago but that nothing seemed amiss before the crash, except that his daughter had recently called and said she wanted to move back home.
A judge found Chambers competent to stand trial in December.
