Couple's Night Out To See Perseid Meteor Shower Ends In Suspected DUI Crash

NOVATO (CBS SF) -- A night out to see the much-hyped Perseid meteor shower out ended badly for a couple in Novato.

After an evening of stargazing, a 28-year-old woman ended up crashing her SUV and being arrested for suspected DUI, according to the California Highway Patrol. Her 30-year-old male passenger was badly hurt.

Ashleigh Courtney and her companion were driving Saturday on Novato Boulevard around 1:45 a.m., after watching the meteor shower, when she lost control of the vehicle. CHP officer Andrew Barclay told the Petaluma Patch, the SUV went down an embankment, into a ditch and hit several trees.

Courtney was able to climb out, but the passenger was pinned inside. Marin County and Novato firefighters had to cut him out of the vehicle.

The man suffered major life-threatened injuries and was taken to Marin General Hospital.

Courtney sustained moderate injuries. She was arrested for felony DUI and booked into the Marin County jail.

This year's meteor shower garnered much attention after NASA scientists predicted a Perseid outburst with more than 200 meteors an hour. Normally the Perseid shower offers about 60 meteors an hour.