Colorado Woman Sentenced to Prison After Driving High and Killing 79-Year-Old Grandpa Mowing His Lawn

A Colorado woman has been sentenced to four years in prison after driving under the influence of drugs and striking a 79-year-old grandfather who was mowing his front yard. Robert “Bob” Selle was killed in front of his home in Calhan, Colorado, while his wife watched helplessly from inside the house. Amy Dalton, 38, was convicted of vehicular homicide while under the influence of a substance and received her prison sentence the following week.

The fatal crash happened on August 24, 2025. Selle was operating a riding lawn mower in his yard when Dalton’s 2016 Subaru Outback reportedly veered off the road, became airborne over the driveway and crashed through a barbed-wire fence before striking him. According to the arrest affidavit, a neighbor’s security camera captured the vehicle overturning as it crossed the property. Selle was thrown from the mower and landed near the wrecked Subaru.

Selle’s wife, Donna, witnessed the horrifying moment through a front window. Police said she saw the car traveling at what appeared to be excessive speed before it left the roadway and hit her husband. She rushed outside and was able to speak with him briefly after the collision. However, Selle soon lost consciousness and died at the scene. The 79-year-old was remembered as a devoted husband, father and grandfather of five, affectionately known as “Grandpa Bob.”

Investigators said Dalton showed signs of impairment when officers arrived. They reported smelling a strong odor of marijuana and noted that she appeared unusually unresponsive during the emergency response. Dalton reportedly admitted that she used marijuana daily, took multiple medications and had recently tried methamphetamine for the first time. A voluntary drug test detected at least two substances that investigators said contributed to the crash.

The investigation also examined the Subaru’s airbag control module and nearby security footage. According to the arrest affidavit, the vehicle data showed no braking or evasive steering input in the seconds before impact. Dalton initially suggested that problems with two tires and unusual steering behavior may have contributed to the crash. However, prosecutors pursued the case as a drug-impaired driving death, and she was ultimately convicted of vehicular homicide while under the influence.

At her sentencing hearing, Dalton accepted responsibility and told the court she would carry the weight of the tragedy for the rest of her life. She also said she did not expect forgiveness but hoped to ask for it. Before being taken into custody, she reportedly told her 7-year-old son that she loved him and promised she would return. Selle’s son later told The Gazette that there was no positive outcome for anyone involved, but he was relieved the legal proceedings were over. The sentence brings the criminal case to a close, although the loss of a husband, father and grandfather remains with his family.

Source: https://lawandcrime.com/crime/79-year-old-grandpa-mowing-front-yard-hit-by-stoned-subaru-driver-and-sent-flying-to-his-death-while-wife-watched-in-window-killer-learns-her-fate/