Sara Burack Hit-and-Run: Accused Driver 'Thought She Struck a Traffic Cone'

The driver accused of killing celebrity realtor Sara Burack in a Hampton Bays, New York, hit-and-run appeared in court Saturday, where she pleaded not guilty to the crime.

People magazine reports marine biologist Amanda Kempton, 32, pleaded not guilty to the felony charge of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident involving a fatality.

Kempton's lawyer told the judge in Southampton Town Justice Court she "thought she had hit a traffic cone" in foggy weather.

Horrifyingly, when Kempton arrived at her destination that morning, a friend's home, she found Burack's pink suitcase lodged under her vehicle, The New York Post reports.

Though alcohol is not considered a factor in the tragedy, prosecutor MacDonald Drane pointed out that Kempton had allegedly spent time at a local bar prior to the incident. He requested that her bail be set high because she allegedly left the scene and because she had plans to go to Virginia for a wedding later on Saturday.

Kempton, who was described as emotional during the hearing, was released on $100,000 bail. According to The New York Post, Kempton's Long Island-based family offered collateral in lieu of cash to secure her bail.

The charge against Kempton is punishable by up to seven years in prison.

Kempton, a star of "Million Dollar Beach House" for one season on Netflix in 2020, was gravely injured by the alleged hit-and-run on Thursday of last week. She was alive when found around 2:45 a.m., but died at Stony Brook University Hospital.

She was 40.