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Littleton man pleads guilty in Steamboat Springs vehicular homicide case

The man responsible for a crash on U.S. Highway 40 that resulted in the death of a beloved local Steamboat Springs woman pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular unlawful termination of pregnancy on Tuesday, according to the plea agreement.

Steven O’Brien, 66, of Littleton, was driving in the eastbound lane when he veered into the westbound lane and collided head-on with a Ford F150.

Emily Tintrup Dealy, 34, was in the passenger seat of the F150 and died at the scene. She was pregnant at the time of the crash. Her husband, Michael Dealy, was driving the truck and sustained minor injuries.



The case against O’Brien was scheduled to go through a jury trial last Thursday — however, he and his defense counsel decided to plead guilty before the trial.

The case originally involved 13 charges, but according to the plea agreement, 11 were dismissed.



O’Brien pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and aggravated vehicular unlawful termination of pregnancy, according to the plea agreement.

The sentences for the charges involve 10 years of supervised probation. O’Brien will receive no jail time unless otherwise stated by the judge, according to the document.

O’Brien will appear in court at 1 p.m. Thursday for his sentencing, either virtually or in person. Emily Dealy’s family is expected to attend.

Emily Dealy was the preschool director at Steamboat Montessori Charter School. She had a strong passion for teaching children and was well-known and loved in the Steamboat Springs community.

Michael Dealy established a memorial in his wife’s honor that benefits both Steamboat Montessori Charter School and a future outdoor nature school that Emily hoped to establish during her life.

To donate to the memorial, visit EmilyTintrupDealyFoundation.org.


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