SALT LAKE CITY — Longtime KUTV news anchor Shauna Lake is no longer with the television station following a second DUI charge.
“We don’t comment on individual personnel matters,” general manager Kent Crawford said in a statement. “But we do wish Shauna good luck in her future. We appreciate her years of service to KUTV.”
Lake’s departure comes after police say she was driving under the influence at the Salt Lake City International Airport in March.
Her attorney, Scott Williams, has entered a plea of not guilty on her behalf to DUI, a class B misdemeanor, in Salt Lake City Justice Court. Williams did not immediately return a message seeking comment Thursday but noted last month that potential evidence could work in his client’s favor that has not yet come to light.
Lake, who is listed in court documents as Shauna Lake Marshall, 49, of Holladay, was cited March 14 after an airport employee noticed her drive to the pickup area and struggle to maintain her balance as she got into the back seat, court documents say. The employee stopped her from driving when she allegedly took the wheel again.
A Salt Lake police officer arrived and reported Lake staggering as she walked, having slurred speech and an odor of alcohol on her breath, an affidavit filed in 3rd District Court states. She was released to a person who was able to drive her home.
Lake pleaded guilty to similar charge in 2017. She made a tearful on-air apology to viewers after her arrest and pleaded guilty to impaired driving, a class B misdemeanor, after being pulled over on I-215 near 1200 East by a Utah Highway Patrol trooper. Her blood alcohol level was .10%, above the legal limit at the time of .08%. Utah’s DUI threshold now is .05%.
She was originally charged in that case with driving under the influence. In exchange for her guilty plea, other charges, including having an open container of alcohol on the highway, were dismissed.
Lake was sentenced to 12 months of a probation, fined $1,460 and ordered to complete eight hours of community service and attend a seminar from Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Her attorney at the time said she had also completed an intensive outpatient treatment program.
Lake is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial conference on July 9.