Suspended sentence in theft

In court on Tuesday, Judge Deborah Kim Christopher sentenced Julie Goodwin to a 5-year suspended sentence with the Department of Corrections. Goodwin’s original plea agreement had been rejected. Goodwin pleaded guilty to a felony theft charge, felony driving under the influence (third offense) and driving while licenses was suspended or revoked.

Goodwin received the five-year suspended sentence for the theft charge and was ordered to pay restitution of $4,123.31. The DUI charge came with five months in the Sanders County Jail and the driving while license suspended had a 60-day jail sentence. Christopher also ordered Goodwin to pay $2,500 in fines for the DUI and license charges.

Goodwin’s charges stemmed from a crash on Highway 135. A vehicle was stolen from a residence in Plains. The owner’s dog was inside the vehicle and was never found.

Also Tuesday, Jeffrey Hernandez changed his plea to guilty for a misdemeanor DUI charge, first offense, and criminal possession of dangerous drugs (methamphetamine). Hernandez was arrested Jan. 4, 2018, after his pickup struck a state snow plow at Blue Slide Road and Birdland Bay Road near Thompson Falls. Sentencing for Hernandez is set for Oct. 2.