Desperate excuse of woman arrested for fatal hit-and-run of Netflix star Sara Burack in Hamptons
A Virginia woman accused in the fatal hit-and-run that killed famous realtor Sara Burack argued that she believed she struck a traffic cone, it was revealed Saturday.
Amanda Kempton, 32, was charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident in connection to the hit-and-run death of the Million Dollar Beach House star, according to the Southampton Town Police Department.
Burack, 40, was reportedly walking in the right-hand lane of a busy Montauk Highway, pulling a pink wheeled suitcase, when she was struck by Kempton's vehicle around 3 am.
She had sustained severe head trauma and multiple fractures.
Despite being rushed to Stony Brook University Hospital, Burack died later that afternoon from her injuries.
Kempton, a marine biologist, pleaded not guilty and was released from police custody following the Saturday hearing, during which she claimed to have thought she 'hit a traffic cone,' rather than the reality television star.
Officials said Kempton's family had posted collateral in place of the $100,000 bail.
Her family resides in Manorville, a hamlet in Suffolk County on New York's Long Island, often referred to as the 'gateway to the Hamptons.'
Kempton faces up to seven years in prison if convicted of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in a felony, The Independent reported.
Prosecutor MacDonald Drane, who argued for the high bail, described Kempton as a flight risk due to her departure from the crash site, according to The New York Post.
Holding back tears, the 32-year-old Virginia-native listened as the court noted she had plans to attend a wedding in her home state on Saturday.
Kempton's attorney, William Keahon, told the court that alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the case, despite her having spent time at a tavern earlier in the evening.
He added that visibility was poor due to heavy fog, and that his client did not see Burack in the roadway.
Kempton left the scene and drove to a friend's house, where she later discovered Burack's pink suitcase lodged beneath her vehicle.
Authorities identified Kempton as the driver using a license plate reader and located her vehicle at her family's residence, where it showed front-end damage.
Kempton grew up in Virginia, and holds degrees in microbiology and marine biology from George Mason University and Nova Southeastern University in Florida, respectively, according to social media.
She has been working this year at 4-H's Camp Jekyll, located on Georgia's Jekyll Island, according to a Facebook post.
Burack was a licensed real estate broker with experience in the luxury real estate market.
In addition to her professional accomplishments, she gained national visibility as a cast member on the Netflix series Million Dollar Beach House.
She was also active in charitable work, including fundraising for leukemia research and animal rescue initiatives.
Her sudden death has elicited an outpouring of grief from friends, former colleagues, and members of the entertainment and real estate communities.
'I want people to remember she was an amazing person who really cared for people,' close family friend and fellow realtor Paulette Corsair told Newsday.
'She was a hardworking real estate agent who was there for others. She was loved greatly by her friends and a close family.'
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