Suspect arrested in deadly DUI collision in San Anselmo

SAN ANSELMO (KTVU) - A dog walker and her dog were killed by a suspected drunk driver in San Anselmo Saturday night. Friends have identified the victim as 72-year-old Carolyn Allen. She was crossing the street with her two dogs on Butterfield Road at Woodside Drive when she and her dog were struck and killed. A second dog was badly injured.

Police arrested the driver, 30-year-old James Boswell. He was booked on suspicion of driving under the influence.

“We are just really sad because she's a wonderful person and her partner had to see her whole family out on the street,” said Victim’s Friend Gala Radtke. “She’s a buddy of ours. Her dogs were buddies to our dog. We would walk with her. We'd meet at the field.”

Those who knew Carolyn Allen describe her as a youthful spirit. Now retired, the Minnesota native was a wizard of finance, a book-keeper and accountant. Her dogs were her children.

“She was a friend,” said victim’s Friend Stanley Radtke. “You don't want to lose a friend.”

“Wonderful neighbors, really the best,” said Allen's neighbor Linda Lowry.

Allen was on a routine nightly walk with her two dogs Saturday night around 10 p.m. She was crossing Caleta Street right in front of her long-time home. Neighbors said she was in the crosswalk when a car heading northbound on Butterfield Road didn't see her or her dogs and crashed into them.

Police markings show the extent of the crash.

Allen and one of her dogs died at the scene. Another dog was rushed to a pet hospital with a broken leg and was in stable condition.

Police arrested 30-year-old James Boswell also a San Anselmo resident. They said he had been driving under the influence. Neighbors said he tried to hide.

“If the man was not drunk enough to realize the implications of what he had done and try to hide in the neighbor's yard, he really was reprehensible beyond even being drunk,” said Garril Page, the victim’s best friend.

The posted speed limit is 25 miles per hour yet many drivers go well beyond that. Neighbors put up signs alerting drivers to slow down. Some of them would like to see flashing lights or speed bumps.

“People drive way too fast in this neighborhood,” said Gala Radtke. “We get children who get dropped off on this corner from school.”

“It’s sad,” said Bill Ingram of San Anselmo. “It’s too dark. They need to put some lights, make it a little bit safer and people need to slow down.”

Allen lived with her long-time partner. She was his caretaker. Friends said her partner came outside and saw what happened and collapsed. He was rushed to the hospital.

“He came out and saw everything,” said Gala Radtke. “The stress of it. He was already in ill health.”

Boswell has been booked at Marin County Jail on charges of felony DUI and felony vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated. His bail is set at $500,000.