A La Center woman who shoved her sister from her car and then dragged her down the road after she became entangled in the seat belt was sentenced Thursday to four months in jail.
Clark County Superior Judge Robert Lewis imposed the mid-range sentence against Clara F. Christensen for a charge of hit-and-run injury. Last week, a jury convicted Christensen of that charge and acquitted her of vehicular assault and second-degree assault.
Christensen, 56, turned herself in several days after the Sept. 10, 2017, incident, which occurred in front of La Center High School.
The victim, Donna Rankins, 56, called 911 about 11:25 p.m. to report that her sister possibly broke her nose and pushed her out of her vehicle. Clark County sheriff’s deputies located Rankins in the 700 block of East Fourth Street, where she was being treated by medical personnel, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Rankins told deputies that Christensen was driving her to their mother’s house when they began to argue over whether Rankins was drunk. Christensen repeatedly elbowed and punched her in the face, Rankins said, before stopping the vehicle and shoving her out, court records say.
Rankins became entangled in the seat belt, however, and her sister sped off, dragging her along the road, according to the affidavit. She suffered a fractured nose and cuts to her leg.
Deputy Prosecutor Greg Harvey argued that Christensen should be sentenced to six months in jail. He said that length of imprisonment was appropriate, as Rankins was seriously injured and has not fully healed from being pushed out of the car. Rankins was in favor of the court upholding a no-contact order with her sister, Harvey added.
When given a chance to address the court, Christensen said her right to a speedy trial was violated and should have resulted in a mistrial. She said she maintains her innocence.
Lewis said that he was hoping he’d hear more from Christensen about what she learned from the experience and remorse expressed for the victim.
“I tried to help her (after the incident). She just wanted to get me in trouble,” Christensen replied, before Lewis swiftly handed down the jail sentence.
Christensen expressed her desire to file an appeal, and the judge set an appeal bond amount of $40,000. Christensen looked at her family in the crowd and asked if any of them could obtain the bail money. One of them responded, stating they couldn’t.
