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Both Sides Rest Case in Gates Trial
By Dave Franzman, Reporter
By
Nick Weig
Story Created:
Jun 23, 2009 at 10:35 AM CST
Story Updated:
Jun 23, 2009 at 4:27 PM CST
CEDAR RAPIDS - After less than two days of testimony, the prosecution rested its case on Tuesday. The defense then rested its case without calling any witnesses. The judge ended today's proceedings just after 11:00 AM and closing arguments will begin Wednesday Morning.
The police chase of Connie Gates, 36, last March ended when she allegedly ran a red light and hit a taxi cab broadside. Car driver Richard Dankert, 76, was pronounced dead moments later at a Cedar Rapids hospital.
On Monday, Gates went on trial for a charge of vehicular homicide.
In testimony Tuesday, Gates admitted she was using crack cocaine when she drove the stolen car that hit the Cedar Rapids cabbie. That information didn't come from Gates on the stand, but rather a police interview that jurors watched.
On the computer recording, Gates talked about what happened last March. She admitted to detectives she knew the car she was driving that night was stolen a week or so before by one of the passengers who was with her that night.
In describing her condition, Gates remarked to detectives "if you take crack off a crack pipe and drive--wow."
During the interrogation, Gates said she remembered the moment of impact only as a blur but instantly knew she did something really wrong.
Describing the immediate aftermath of the crash, Gates said "I just kind of collapsed over on the lawn there and I look at people and they were dead and I'm like wow I'm in a lot of trouble."
Earlier witnesses told jurors how they did drug screen tests on Gates while she was in the hospital. The tests came back positive for both cocaine and marijuana.
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