By Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — An Oklahoma State University junior, who was originally charged with first-degree manslaughter in a fatal crash at 32nd Ave. and Washington St., has pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge of negligent homicide by reckless driving, for which she was placed on one year’s probation last week, court records show.
Katelyn Makae Moore, 22, of Stillwater, who was 20 at the time of the 9:20 pm Oct. 13, 2021, collision that killed her front seat passenger, Lariat Larner, was sentenced on June 10 by Special District Judge Susan Worthington, who approved a plea agreement recommended by prosecutor J.R. Kalka.
Moore’s probation requirements include participating in victim impact panels, performing 100 hours of community service, and taking a driver improvement course, according to her written guilty plea filed in court records on June 10.
“Katelyn drove in a reckless manner by allowing her front passenger, Lariat Larner, to have most of her body on the outside of her vehicle while Lariat threw empty cans at objects on the side of the roadway,” Stillwater Police Officer Ricardo J. Inciarte wrote in an affidavit.
“Katelyn had been consuming alcoholic beverages and had a blood alcohol level of .031, which is above the legal limit for a person under the age of 21,” the affidavit alleged.
“As Katelyn failed to stop for the stop sign and entered the intersection, it collided,” with a vehicle driven by Craig Braga who had a passenger, Santana James, the affidavit alleged.
Lariat was “partially outside the vehicle and unrestrained when Katelyn’s vehicle struck a utility pole,” the affidavit alleged.
During a secondary impact, Lariat was “forcefully ejected from the vehicle into a residence yard face first,” the affidavit alleged.
“Katelyn suffered numerous injuries herself due to not wearing her seatbelt and allowing Lariat to do the same,” the affidavit alleged.
“Due to the collision caused by Katelyn, both Craig Braga and Santana James had to be transported to medical centers with severe injuries. Craig required acute care at the hospital due to multiple fractures and bilateral hemopneumothorax, among other injuries. Santana had less severe injuries, but still required emergency medical treatment.
“Katelyn disclosed to the attending doctor at the OU Medical Center that she consumes alcoholic beverages and THC in social settings,” the affidavit alleged.
Larner, 24, of Stillwater, was pronounced dead at the scene, a police news release said.
