‘Too much, evidently’: Drunk wife who crushed husband with car told police ‘I don’t know how we got here’

A pistillate who “intentionally” ran implicit her hubby with a car said she has nary thought however it happened erstwhile she archetypal spoke to authorities connected the nighttime of Sept. 2, 2024.

“I don’t cognize however we got here,” Melissa K. Howes, 55, told investigators extracurricular a Dollar General successful the agrarian colony of Dix, Illinois, arsenic seen connected constabulary assemblage camera video. Before breaking down successful evident distress, Howes said she had been with a enactment person astatine the clip of the incident.

But Howes would spell onto plead blameworthy successful March to first-degree murder and aggravated DUI charges. In exchange, she received a 20-year situation sentence. Prosecutors said she “intentionally” ran implicit Jeffrey Howes, 49.

Surveillance footage from a adjacent flat analyzable showed her pushing her hubby to the ground, getting into her car, and backing up the conveyance earlier speeding guardant to crush him, authorities said. First responders recovered him nether the vehicle; a lawman and bystander reportedly had to jack the conveyance disconnected the crushed truthful paramedics could enactment connected trying to prevention him.

“Can you archer maine however overmuch hubby is doing?” she asked a lawman with the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office aft authorities brought her to a infirmary successful handcuffs.

Authorities said she showed signs of being drunk.

“Evidence of intoxicant impairment was observed with Melissa and Sheriff’s Office Detectives were contacted to assist,” the sheriff’s bureau said successful a September property release. “Upon completion of the investigation, Melissa Howes was arrested for the transgression of Aggravated DUI involving a Death and transported to the Jefferson County Justice Center.”

Authorities lone relayed drunkenness arsenic a motive. At the clip of the incident, a lawman asked her however overmuch she drank that night.

“Too much, evidentially,” she said.

Chris Perez contributed to this report.

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