BATON ROUGE — A 20-year-old Southern student had her bond set at $229,000 on Monday after she was arrested for allegedly fatally striking an LSU student and her fiancé with her car along Nicholson Drive over the weekend while she was over the legal blood alcohol level for people under 21.

According to Baton Rouge Police, Mia Dawson had a BAC of .048%, above the under-21 legal limit of .02%, following the fatal Sunday morning crash. Dawson's first court appearance was Monday, when her bond was set. If she posts the $229,000 bond, she will be placed on house arrest, the judge said, noting that she allegedly tried to flee the scene.

The crash happened around 2:40 a.m. along Nicholson Drive near Lee Drive. Dawson allegedly veered off the road, striking Shane Hirstius and Leah Fonte, both 21, who were walking on the right shoulder of the roadway. Hirstius was taken to a local hospital in critical condition, while Fonte was pronounced dead on the scene. Hirstius later died at the hospital.

Fonte and Hirstius, both from Metairie, got engaged in 2025 and were set to be married in March 2028. Hirstius was an operator and firefighter with the Third District Volunteer Fire Department.

BRPD added that Dawson drove away after the crash and later parked it at a Circle K on Brightside Drive, but she did notify police of her car being involved in the crash. 

When asked if she had been drinking, Dawson told police she had not. After performing multiple field sobriety tests on Dawson, police gave her a breathalyser test. Dawson then blew 0.048%. 

Dawson was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on first-offense DWI, reckless operation of a vehicle, hit-and-run, negligent injury and vehicular homicide, but the negligent injury charge will be upgraded to another vehicular homicide charge.

Mayor-President Sid Edwards issued a statement saying the Baton Rouge Transportation and Drainage Department has scheduled a meeting with the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development Tuesday to identify additional safety measures along Nicholson Drive.