Driver Accused of Drunkenly Hitting Three Cyclists Faces Additional Felony Charges

A woman accused of fleeing after drunkenly driving into three cyclists in Seal Beach while driving on a suspended license due to a previous drunk driving charge remains in jail after pleading not guilty to a series of felony charges.

Juli Ann Brown, 46, has been in custody since February 5th when she allegedly swerved into the bike lane on PCH in Surfside, plowing into three cyclists and fleeing the scene. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges. According to an amended complaint filed by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office Wednesday, Brown had a blood-alcohol level over the legal limit and had drugs in her system and cocaine in her possession when police arrested her. At the time of the accident, she was wanted in another drunk driving case out of Riverside County, had a suspended driver’s license and had four previous drunk driving convictions since 2003.

Brown faces multiple felony charges including hit and run, driving under the influence, possession of narcotics, and inflicting great bodily harm. According to the amended complaint, the three victims, identified as Janice M, Keith A, and John B. each suffered serious injuries.

Each of Brown's previous DUI convictions were misdemeanors, netting her probation and up to 180 days in jail.

In 2003, Brown was convicted of driving under the influence and sentenced to 22 days in jail and five years of probation. Three years later, she was again convicted of misdemeanor driving under the influence and ordered to serve two years of probation. In 2008, she was sentenced to 180 days in jail for her third DUI conviction. And she was charged again in 2010 for allegedly driving under the influence in Riverside County, but a warrant was issued for her arrest after she failed to appear in court in that case.

This time, Brown has not been released on bail and is expected back in court March 7 for a pretrial hearing.