Oklahoma woman returned to prison over alleged voting by a felon

Sara Polston, an Oklahoma woman convicted of causing a serious crash while driving drunk, has been returned to prison after prosecutors alleged she voted in two local elections while a convicted felon. Her case has drawn scrutiny because she served only 73 days of an eight-year sentence before being released through a state ankle-monitor programme, amid claims she received special treatment.

In February 2023, Polston crashed her Cadillac Escalade into Micaela Borrego’s car at 66mph; tests showed Polston’s blood alcohol level was 0.158, nearly twice the legal limit. Borrego, then a teenager, suffered a stroke and lasting brain injuries and disabilities. Polston later pleaded guilty and agreed to a $5 million civil settlement. A grand jury investigation into her early release cited her husband’s political connections, campaign donations and phone calls about securing favourable treatment.