First female protestant bishop charged with manslaughter

Maryland's first female bishop and second highest ranking Episcopal leader has been charged with drunken driving and manslaughter after fatally striking a cyclist in late December.

58-year-old Heather Cook, according to her attorney, David Irwin said she had turned herself in to authorities. Her bail was set at $2.5m and it was unclear late Friday whether she had posted bail. A trial is scheduled for February 6.

On December 27, Cook struck and killed Tom Palermo, 41, while he was riding his bicycle. According to prosecutors, Cook left the scene for 30 minutes before returning, and registered a blood-alcohol content of .22 percent after the wreck. Palermo died of a head injury at a nearby hospital later that day.

Prosecutors say Cook was texting on her cellphone when she veered and struck Palermo from behind in a residential neighborhood in northern Baltimore. The impact threw him onto the car’s hood and windshield, and he landed on a curb. Mosby said Cook went to her nearby home before returning. After she was taken to a police station, Cook was given a breath test, according to charging documents.

In addition to felony vehicular manslaughter, Cook was charged with criminal negligent manslaughter, failure to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury and death, using a text messaging device that resulted in an accident and three drunken driving charges. If convicted of all charges, Cook could face more than 20 years in prison.

Less than four months earlier, Cook was ordained as the diocese of Maryland’s first female bishop.