A Kern County firefighter told police investigators he had 3 or 4 beers at Hooters restaurant before he was involved in a deadly crash on Panama Lane, court reports released Monday indicate.
Mitchell Green, 30, pleaded not guilty to felony DUI and manslaughter charges Thursday in connection with the death of Michelle Marie Maxwell, 41 of Bakersfield, and the injuries to Maxwell's 15-year-old daughter, Michaela.
Green ran a red light, striking the Maxwells' car at Panama Lane and Ashe Road on Feb. 2, the district attorney alleges.
Michelle Maxwell was teaching her daughter to drive at the time, family members said.
Green's "employment as a Kern County firefighter gives him express knowledge of such collisions and the consequences of impaired driving," writes BPD officer Daniel Wells in report filed with the court. "Having worked these types of collisions throughout his career, (Green) has experience equal to advanced training for this situation."
Green "Should have known that driving while impaired can result in his being responsible for the death of another person," he added.
Green's attorney, Troy Childers, has declined to comment on the case. Green was taken into custody following Thursday's court hearing, but since has been released on $100,000 bond.
Green's blood alcohol level was 0.13 by blood draw, according to investigative reports. BPD officer Kenneth Sporer also had Green perform a breathalyzer test, which revealed a lower 0.108 level, court documents indicate.
Sporer responded to Kern Medical Center following the collision and was told by doctors Green had suffered a broken right ankle, punctured lung and cut on the nose.
Green smelled of alcohol, had slurred speech, and made a raspy sound while talking, Sporer writes in his report.
"He told me he drank three or four Coors Light beers," Sporer reports. "He said he had his last drink of alcohol 'a couple of hours' before the collision occurred."
"I asked Green where he had consumed the beer at, and he said he was at Hooters earlier in the evening and he drank all of the beer at that location," Sporer continued.
Green told the officer he visited a friend's house near Stockdale Highway and Renfro Road, before returning to his home on High Plateau Way, about a half mile from the accident scene, according to police reports. Green then visited another friend's house near Stine Road and Harris Road. Green told Sporer he did not consume any additional alcohol at those locations.
Eyewitness Brian Melikian told investigators he was almost involved in the collision between Green and Maxwell, and estimated Green was going between 70 and 90 mph at the time.
Investigators also performed a blood test on Michaela Maxwell. The test revealed she was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time.
