Madera County DA opposes bail reduction for pregnant Clovis woman

The Madera County district attorney said Thursday he will oppose any effort to have alleged drunken driver Candice Ooley’s bail reduced as she awaits a hearing in her case.

The pregnant Clovis woman is charged with driving drunk and causing a fatal accident on Highway 41 near Coarsegold. A bail-reduction hearing set for Thursday in Madera Superior Court was rescheduled for June 1.

“I do not believe that the court is going to reduce bail, no matter what” defense attorneys argue, District Attorney David Linn said. “Their theory is she shouldn’t be in jail because she’s pregnant, and what I’m aware of – and we’re reverifying these facts – is that she was hospitalized for approximately two days after the accident just so the fetus could be monitored to ensure that everything was going OK.”

Linn added that the District Attorney’s Office would work with correctional staff to ensure arrangements are made in the event there’s a premature delivery and that the jail is equipped to accommodate pregnant inmates.

“She certainly wouldn’t be the first pregnant inmate they’ve had,” Linn said. “No one’s provided us with any due date – I’ve heard anywhere between she’s six months pregnant or eight months pregnant.”

It’s also not feasible for Ooley to be transferred to a treatment facility because of her pregnancy and numerous scheduled court appearances, Linn said.

“Our concerns are, first of all, for the safety of the public,” Linn said. “I don’t want her operating anything on any street or highway, in this county or in any county anywhere.”

Ooley, 23, was booked into Madera County jail on Saturday. The 2014 Chevrolet Cruze she was driving crashed into the rear of a 2006 Hummer H3 while authorities say she had a 0.32 percent blood alcohol content, four times the legal limit. The Hummer lost control, went off the road and down an embankment, killing 47-year-old Federico Duarte Nunez Silva of Lemoore.

This story was originally published May 26, 2016 at 5:16 PM with the headline "Madera County DA opposes bail reduction for pregnant Clovis woman."