Man accused of driving drunk, killing woman in Lexington had previous DUI
A man accused of driving drunk and causing a crash that killed a 75-year-old woman last weekend in Lexington has a previous DUI conviction, according to court records.
Stephen Barber, 65, is charged with aggravated DUI in a crash that happened Sunday near Man o’ War Boulevard and Belleau Wood Drive. Linda Johnson died from injuries sustained in the crash, and Barber was arrested at the scene.
Barber smelled of alcohol and showed signs of impairment during field sobriety tests, according to his arrest citation. He took a preliminary breath test at the Fayette County jail about two hours after the crash and posted a blood alcohol concentration of 0.065, below the legal limit.
Barber may have also been under the influence of drugs, according to his arrest citation. A blood test is pending.
Johnson’s cause and manner of death are pending an autopsy, which was scheduled for Tuesday, according to the Fayette County Coroner’s Office.
Barber was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center on Wednesday and is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to jail records. He is scheduled to be arraigned in Fayette District Court on Thursday.
Johnson was a University of Kentucky sports fan and worked as an administrator in the health care industry, according to her obituary. She had a son, daughter and two grandchildren.
Suspect has a history of driving drunk
Barber was found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol/substances in 2015 in Jessamine County, according to court records. He posted a blood alcohol concentration level of 0.194, more than twice the legal limit to drive, during his arrest.
Barber was sentenced to four days in jail and ordered to pay $718 in fines and court costs, according to court records.
Barber was charged with DUI again in 2022 after being pulled over for speeding and showing signs of impairment during field sobriety tests, according to court documents. The DUI charge was ultimately dismissed but he was found guilty of speeding and paid a $143 fine.
