NORFOLK, Va. — A wrong-way driver charged with killing another driver in the Downtown Tunnel in Norfolk was denied bond by a judge in court Wednesday.
Dominique Goodwin, 27, is charged with aggravated involuntary manslaughter.
The charge stems from a deadly crash that happened on December 30, 2023.
State Police said they were told about the crash just after 3 a.m.
After investigating, troopers said they learned that Goodwin was driving east in the westbound lanes of the tunnel when she hit another driver head-on.
Police said alcohol was a contributing factor in the crash.
New details revealed in court included a video that showed how Goodwin entered the tunnel, allegedly going down the exit ramp, which usually goes off to the hospital, the wrong way.
Prosecutors also said there was a bottle of tequila on the floor of Goodwin's car, and that her blood alcohol was .23. The legal limit is .08.
The woman Goodwin hit, 43-year-old Shelby Walker from Portsmouth, died instantly, police said.
After the crash, Goodwin was taken to the hospital to get treated for her injuries but was eventually released, according to State Police.
They said she went into hiding after leaving the hospital.
State Police provided some clarity on how she was able to leave the hospital: If she had been arrested at the hospital, a trooper would be required to stand guard 24/7 until her release. However, due to a lack of manpower and the fact that her release time was unknown, it wasn’t feasible to have a trooper stand watch when her identity was already known, police added.
Troopers secured a warrant for her arrest on January 3, and she turned herself in on January 22.
