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Bishop Remains Behind Bars

January 12th, 2015 by WCBC Radio

WBAL Radio is reporting that a bail review hearing took  place today for the Episcopal Bishop Suffragan Heather Cook, who is charged with vehicular manslaughter, drunken driving, texting while driving, leaving the scene of an accident,  and other counts stemming from a hit-and-run crash in late December that killed a cyclist.

Cook turned herself into police Friday afternoon, hours after prosecutors filed the charges.

She is being held in lieu of $2.5-million cash bail.

Prrosecutors wanted bail revoked, calling Cook, "a danger to public safety."  Cook's lawyer said his client cannot afford that, and she will remain behind bars.  

Cook's lawyer told the judge that Cook has been in alcohol treatment since the crash on December 27.  Miller reports that according to pretrial officials, Cook admitted to having an alcohol problem.

Charging documents indicate that Cook had been texting when she struck 41-year old Thomas Palermo, and then drove away from the scene.

Police say she returned to the scene 20-minutes later.

Prosecutors say Cook had a blood-alcohol-content nearly three times the legal limit.

Cook had a previous DUI arrest in 2010.

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