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Suspected drunk driver accused of hitting boy with truck pleads not guilty

(File photo)

GILLETTE, Wyo. — A Gillette man accused of driving drunk this past weekend, leaving the scene of a crash, and striking a teenage boy with his vehicle has pleaded not guilty to all charges, court records say.

Casey Lessert, 35, is charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless endangering, and leaving the scene of a crash after he was located and arrested by Gillette police on July 15 near Warlow Drive and Osborne Avenue, according to criminal information filed in Campbell County Circuit Court.

Officers had received a report that Lessert’s vehicle, a GMC pickup, had been involved in multiple vehicle accidents earlier that evening and found him outside the passenger side of his truck, which had heavy front-end damage, according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in the case.

When contacted by police, Lessert stated, “Just take me to jail, I f—- up,” the affidavit states, adding that he allegedly admitted to consuming several beers and a few shots of alcohol.

Prior to police contact, Lessert had reportedly rear-ended a grey 2016 Honda CR-V near Warlow Drive and Brooks Avenue; the vehicle had to be towed from the scene due to heavy rear damage with both occupants being transported to the emergency room after complaining of pain, according to the affidavit.

Witnesses told police that the Honda had been waiting to turn left onto Brooks Avenue from Warlow Drive and saw a GMC pickup run into it, disabling the Honda and causing it to spin off the roadway, per the affidavit.

Debris scattered across the roadway indicated a high-speed impact, the affidavit states.

Before the crash, Lessert had been reported as a potential drunk driver after he departed from a residence on Plumcreek Avenue where he backed out of a parking space and accelerated forward, striking a 15-year-old boy on the sidewalk, according to the affidavit.

Witnesses recalled telling the boy and another female, who was not identified in the report, to run after Lessert began turning around in the cul-de-sac; he passed within five feet of them while driving on the sidewalk, per the affidavit.

The 15-year-old boy was transported to the hospital by a witness and sustained a bruise on his hip as well as abrasions on both of his elbows, the affidavit states.

On Plumcreek Avenue, officers reportedly saw tire tracks leaving the roadway in addition to damaged fencing and a damaged tree, per the affidavit.

Lessert was arraigned on the charges on July 18 where he pleaded not guilty, court records say.

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