FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Date: | Nov. 6, 2023 |
| Contact: | Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700 |
| RE: | State v. Cole Clucas – Sentencing |
BOISE – On Monday, 29-year-old Cole Clucas was sentenced to serve up to 15 years in prison for hitting and
killing a pedestrian while driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
The Honorable Ada County District Judge James Cawthon sentenced Mr. Clucas to serve 15 years
imprisonment, with 5 years fixed before being eligible for parole. The defendant’s driver’s license will also
be suspended for 15 years.
On Sept. 29, 2022, Mr. Clucas was driving east on W. Vellejo Road near S. Talon Lane, going up to 20 mph
above the posted 35 mph speed limit sign when he hit a 54-year-old woman who was out for a walk. An
empty vodka bottle and marijuana paraphernalia were found inside his vehicle. Mr. Clucas’s blood alcohol
content level was over twice the legal limit at 0.187. The victim died five days later at a local hospital due to
injuries sustained in the crash.
“This was so preventable, so unnecessary. It is the very thing we fear with this kind of offense. What has
happened here is the absolute worst-case scenario,” said Judge Cawthon during the sentencing hearing.
“There would be no need for justice if it weren’t for the injustice at the inception of this crime.”
“This crime was senseless and preventable,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “On behalf of my
office, we extend our condolences to the victim’s family for their immeasurable loss. Thank you to the Ada
County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work on this investigation and to my team for their efforts in this case
to ensure justice was served.”