A misdemeanor charge has been dropped against a 62-year-old Bayview woman who was cited for inattentive driving after an accident with a deer on Highway 54 east of Athol.

Idaho State Police Sgt. Kevin White told The Press the agency reviewed the case, discussed it with prosecutors and it was decided that pursuing it "wouldn't be efficient use of the judicial system."

The woman, Sally Newcombe, declined to comment Monday.

Newcombe was driving westbound on the highway in her 2010 Subaru Legacy when the accident occurred on the morning of Feb. 13. The deer was killed.

The accident caused significant damage to the passenger-side front fender and headlight of her vehicle.

Newcombe's attorney, Rex Finney of Sandpoint, said she was cited "without any justification."

Finney said the ISP officer "was just ready to write a citation. He just had his book with him."

He said his client was driving in a "reasonable and prudent manner" when the accident occurred.

"She's a law-abiding citizen," Finney said. "It was an unfortunate situation for her."

An affidavit filed in Kootenai County court by ISP said visibility and road conditions were good at the time of the accident. Areas to both sides of the road had been "deforested" to improve motorists' visibility, the document said.

To the north of the roadway, where the deer would have come from in this case, the affidavit said travelers of the highway have "clear visibility" for nearly 220 feet.

ISP said Newcombe reported being familiar with the area, and also knew it was common for wildlife to cross the road at that location.