Redmond woman charged in crash that injured Baker students to change plea

A Culver woman charged in a crash that injured Baker High School FFA students has filed to accept a plea offer, potentially resolving a case that has drawn sustained local attention since the March 22, 2024 collision in Redmond.

Court filings show defense attorney Ethan Meaney asked Deschutes County Circuit Court on Feb. 5, 2026 to schedule a change-of-plea hearing for Feb. 26 at 3 p.m., saying defendant Katrina Nicole Dacus wants to accept a plea agreement. The filing did not disclose the terms of the deal, according to the Baker City Herald. Dacus had been briefly jailed after her arrest and was granted conditional release on March 25, 2024.

The crash occurred when a Subaru driven by Dacus ran a stop sign where a road meets Highway 126 on Redmond’s west side and struck a Baker School District bus carrying 14 students who were in town for the state FFA convention. Four students were treated at a hospital; the bus was driven by Baker FFA adviser Bibiana Gifft. The bus was later displayed, crumpled, at Baker High School on May 29 as a reminder about the dangers of driving while intoxicated, with District Attorney Greg Baxter and Baker City Police Chief Ty Duby speaking to senior government classes before students viewed the wreckage.

Legal proceedings have tracked a steady escalation and delay since the crash. Prosecutors initially scheduled a plea to 26 charges, but later sought grand jury review after they said new information about student injuries could change the case. A grand jury returned a 29-count indictment that includes two felony counts of third-degree assault, 15 counts of recklessly endangering another person, nine counts of fourth-degree assault, one count of reckless driving, one DUI count and one count of second-degree criminal mischief for damage to the bus. Prosecutor Joseph Langerman wrote that the state needed more time to consult with victims and their families before extending a plea offer, noting evolving medical information and victim coordination.

Court scheduling has shifted repeatedly. A judge had set an October 28, 2025 trial date that was postponed after prosecutors sought a delay because several Baker students planned to attend an FFA conference in Chicago during the trial period; Judge Wells Ashby granted that motion. Judge Beth Bagley later rescheduled a jury trial to begin March 31, 2026 before the defense filed for a change of plea. Dacus has had three attorneys over the course of the case, and local reports list her residence as Culver while various outlets have reported her age as 34, 35 or 36.

For Baker County residents, the plea filing is a key development in a case that has underscored concerns about student safety during school travel and the handling of DUI-related crashes. The Feb. 26 hearing will determine whether the case moves to a plea resolution or proceeds to a contested trial; local officials and victims will likely be notified as prosecutors continue consultations with named victims and their families.