A Pennsylvania woman accused of driving drunk and crashing her SUV into Sunset Lake pleaded not guilty to charges in Edgartown District Court last week. 

Kaylee Harnen, 31, of Canonsburg, Pa. was arraigned on March 31 for charges connected to the crash in December, which left a family member in the car in critical condition. In all, she pleaded not guilty to operating under the influence of liquor, causing a serious injury, marked lanes violation, negligent operation of a motor vehicle and speeding. 

Police said Ms. Harnen crashed an SUV into a telephone pole and flipped into the pond in Oak Bluffs on Dec. 12. Police said she was on the way to a home in Tisbury after drinking at several bars in Edgartown.

While Ms. Harnen was able to get out of the vehicle, her mother was unconscious in the backseat and her brother’s foot was pinned underneath the vehicle. 

First responders waded into the water and were able to rescue the mother, who was flown to an off-Island hospital for treatment. The brother was also pulled out from under the vehicle and brought to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. 

In interviews after the crash, Ms. Harnen’s brother said she was driving 80 mph in a 25 mph-zone, according to a police report. Ms. Harnen also allegedly told officers she had several drinks before getting behind the wheel. 

Ms. Harnen was released on personal recognizance after her arraignment and she has a pretrial hearing on May 15 over Zoom.

Late last month, Oak Bluffs police chief Jonathan Searle said the mother continues to recover.