Judge reschedules restitution hearing for Colfax woman guilty of hit and run

By LeAnn R. Ralph

MENOMONIE  —  A Dunn County judge has rescheduled a restitution hearing for a Colfax woman guilty of causing a hit-and-run accident last December involving the owner of Mom’s Restaurant and Pub, Linda Salazar.

Jami A. Golden, 37, appeared in Dunn County Circuit Court for a restitution hearing before Judge Rod Smeltzer with her attorney, Kerry Kelm, August 15.

Kelm told the court she was frustrated with the “disaster” turned over to her by the Dunn County district attorney’s office. Kelm was referring to a pile of medical bills.

Kelm said she had “inherited” the case from attorney Christopher Bub.

The district attorney’s office has had months to compile Salazar’s medical bills, she said.

The information included duplicate medical bills and duplicate payments, Kelm said, noting that she was experiencing difficulty trying to figure out what was paid and what was a carry-over of out-of-pocket expenses.

Although the restitution hearing had been set for months, Kelm said she had received another packet of information that day from the district attorney’s office regarding lost wages.

The plea agreement specified Golden was only going to pay for Salazar’s out-of-pocket medical expenses and no other amounts, including crime-victim compensation, Kelm said.

“To say I’m irritated is an understatement,” she said.

At that point, Judge Smeltzer recessed the proceeding and called Kelm and Assistant District Attorney Andrew Maki back to his chambers for a conference.

When the judge and the attorneys returned to the courtroom, Judge Smeltzer said the compensation in the plea agreement was intended to make the victim “whole.”

The issue is complex, and Golden’s plea agreement with the court indicates she is responsible for items not compensated in another way, he said.

Judge Smeltzer said he would schedule another restitution hearing and Maki and Kelm were to review the medical bills and present a number to the judge “that it is appropriate.”

The restitution Golden will pay will include compensation for areas not compensated by another source, Judge Smeltzer said.

The restitution hearing on August 15 was scheduled for an hour and a half, but a half hour to an hour should be sufficient, he said.

Golden is scheduled to appear in Dunn County Circuit Court for another restitution hearing October 17 at 3:30 p.m.

At a May 2 hearing, Judge Smeltzer accepted a plea deal for Golden and found her guilty of an amended felony count of second degree recklessly endangering safety for the hit-and-run accident the morning of December 9 that left Salazar with ten broken ribs, a concussion, a broken arm, and a broken leg, ankle, and pelvis as well as internal injuries.

Golden originally was charged with two felony counts of hit and run involving great bodily harm and reckless driving causing great bodily harm.

Golden also was issued traffic citations for operating a vehicle without insurance; failure to notify police of an accident; and obstructed driver’s vision front view (frost on the windshield).

Judge Smeltzer dismissed the count of hit and run involving great bodily harm and also dismissed the traffic citations as part of the plea deal, withheld sentencing, placed Golden on five years of probation, and as a condition of probation, imposed five months of jail time.

Judge Smeltzer ordered Golden to pay restitution to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered by insurance.

As of the May 2 court hearing, the amount for restitution was $3,962.43, although the amount was expected to be more after additional medical costs were finalized.

Salazar was hospitalized in intensive care for about three weeks in Eau Claire and then spent another three months at Mayo-Bloomer.

Golden’s jail term will begin on November 1, and she will have Huber privileges to take care of her mother as necessary and to continue with any treatment.