Hooper | LinkedIn Thumbnail photo: Randy Hooper’s hit and run and DUI charges stem from a collision that took place near Sand Mine Road and U.S. 101 on April 19. | Photo by Heather Polen. Randy Hooper pleaded no contest to felony DUI causing injury as part of a plea bargain that would reduce the charge to a misdemeanor if he follows its terms, attorney Keith Morris told Redwood Voice Community News on Tuesday. Del Norte County’s assistant county administrative officer changed his plea on Oct. 9 and will be formally sentenced in November, said Morris, who prosecuted the case on behalf of the California Attorney General’s Office. If the judge approves the plea deal, Hooper will be required to finish the Humboldt Addictions Services Program (HASP) for DUI offenders, attend two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, showing proof of attendance, and “obey all laws,” Morris said. Hooper will have six months from Oct. 9 to meet the terms of the plea bargain. “If he doesn’t do that, then (the case) is a felony,” Morris said. “It’s an offer that the Attorney General’s Office approved a few months ago. We initially made the offer two-and-a-half or three months ago.” California Highway Patrol officers arrested Hooper following a two-vehicle collision near Sand Mine Road and U.S. 101 at about 10 p.m. April 19. The defendant had a blood-alcohol level of 0.198, Officer Edgar Anaya testified during an Aug. 26 preliminary hearing. Hooper had been at Elk Valley Casino prior to the collision and had been asked to leave, Del Norte County District Attorney Office Investigator Jennifer Williamson said during the hearing. Though casino staff secured a taxi cab for the defendant, he had left the casino in his own truck, said Williamson, who interviewed casino staff as part of her investigation. The victim in the case, Megan Postma, testified on Aug. 26 that she was approaching the stop sign at Sand Mine Road and U.S. 101 on April 19 when she was hit from behind and pushed onto the highway. Postma said she felt she was sideswiped as Hooper wound up in front of her vehicle where his truck stopped. She said she counted for about 15 seconds before she reached for her phone when she saw Hooper begin to drive away. During the preliminary hearing, Hooper’s attorney, George Mavris, attempted to get the felony charges reduced to a misdemeanor, submitting character reference letters from Del Norte County Sheriff Garrett Scott and County Administrative Officer Neal Lopez (to read the sheriff’s response on why he submitted a character reference click here.) At the preliminary hearing on Aug. 26, Morris took issue with the letters of support. “If this were a sentencing, it would be appropriate, but this is not,” he said. “I am very disappointed that a sitting sheriff submitted a letter — I don’t like that at all.” On Aug. 26, Judge Karen Olson, denied Mavris’s motion, saying it should be up to the people to decide whether the charges against Hooper should be reduced. At the time Hooper was facing felony DUI and hit-and-run charges. Morris on Tuesday did not return a follow-up call as to whether the hit-and-run charge was dropped or not. On Tuesday, Morris said if the judge does accept the plea bargain and Hooper doesn’t comply with its terms, the charges would continue to be felonies and it would be at the judge’s discretion as far as how to sentence the defendant. In that case, Hooper could face probation and some local jail time or possibly receive a prison sentence, Morris said.