FAIRBANKS -- The state has dropped its criminally negligent homicide case against a Fairbanks woman accused of causing the death of a man while she was driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Faith Derendoff, 32, had been facing a second trial in the May 2005 death of 18-year-old Andrew Coker of North Pole.
Authorities said Coker ran a stop sign and pulled out in front of Derendoff on Danby Street. Coker was killed in the collision, and Derendoff was charged with causing his death.
Prosecutors said Wednesday that the state was no longer interested in pursuing a case against Derendoff.
The case against Derendoff was launched after it was discovered that the crash was filmed by a security camera at a nearby gas station. The 5-second recording showed Coker driving into Derendoff's path.
Derendoff's attorney at the time, public defender Tye Menser, urged dismissal of the case, arguing that the video proved his client's innocence.
A judge threw out the case, but another grand jury reindicted Derendoff, who went on trial earlier this year. The charges were driving under the influence and manslaughter.
Prosecutors said Derendoff caused Coker's death because she had been driving too fast and her reflexes were dulled by the alcohol, marijuana and cocaine in her system. She told authorities that she blamed herself.
Public defenders said the crash was unavoidable and that Derendoff had no time to react.
Derendoff was acquitted of manslaughter, but the jury deadlocked on whether Derendoff had committed the lesser crime of criminally negligent homicide.
Derendoff had been set to begin a second trial this month for criminally negligent homicide. Gabriel Quinnan, a public defender, said he was given no reason for why the case was dropped.
Derendoff was convicted of drunken driving and is set for a September sentencing.
