Woman in Peoria hit and run pleads not guilty

PHOENIX - A woman accused of killing a Peoria high school student in a hit and run accident in October has pleaded not guilty Monday.

Court records say Laura Flanders, 23, of Phoenix was “not coherent to her actions by her complete disregard to proper medications and not to drive while under the medications” at the time of the collision on Oct. 29 that killed 18-year-old Joey Romero.

The next court date is an initial pretrial conference on Jan 13.

According to records, Flanders was so heavily medicated, she didn’t realize she was drinking a bottle of nail polish until she spit it out.

It’s unclear what medications she was taking.

Flanders apparently knew she hit something at the time of the collision, but thought it was a tree, pole, or bush and didn’t stop the car, according to court documents.

Flanders was arrested and booked on charges of manslaughter and leaving the scene of a collision involving a death, said Mike Tellef with the Peoria Police Department.

The Centennial High School senior was walking home around 11 p.m. on Oct. 29 from his job at a 99 Cent Only store when he was hit by Flanders’ car near 83rd Avenue and Thunderbird Road, according to the Peoria Police Department.

Romero later died from his injuries at a local hospital.