Deaf Woman Accused in Hit and Run to Undergo Mental Evaluation

INDIO - A woman accused in a hit-and-run crash that killed a bicyclist in La Quinta will have her mental competency evaluated, a judge ordered today.

Tracey Salter, a 52-year-old resident of Merriam, Kan., is facing felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charges. She could be sentenced to at least five years in prison if convicted, according to prosecutors.

During a trial-readiness conference today at the Larson Justice Center, Superior Court Judge William S. Lebov declared a doubt as to Salter's mental competency. He ordered a doctor to examine her, with the report due back...