A woman charged with drunken driving in a crash last fall in Lodi Township that left two of her passengers injured was arraigned today at the Washtenaw County Jail and then released on a promise to appear in court.

Amber Rae Baldwin, 21, of Detroit, is charged with operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, operating while intoxicated and violating license restrictions.

Washtenaw County sheriff's deputies say Baldwin lost control of a car about 2:50 a.m. Oct. 9 on Ann Arbor-Saline Road and hit a tree. Sara Ann Meshigaud of Ann Arbor, a friend of Baldwin’s who was sitting in the back seat, suffered substantial head trauma, sheriff's department spokesman Derrick Jackson said.

A 25-year-old Twin Lake man, who also was in the back seat, was ejected and injured, Jackson said. Deputies said a 20-year-old man from the area was in the front seat, but it’s unclear whether he was injured.

Jackson did not have further details, including Baldwin’s blood-alcohol level or specifics about her driving record.

At this afternoon's arraignment, Baldwin told Magistrate Camille Horne that she lives with her father, is single, doesn’t have children and works part-time at a tree service company, making $70 to $80 each week.

She spent two weeks in rehab at Brighton Hospital after the accident, she said, and has been attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at least once each week in the Metro Detroit area.

“I’m trying,” she said. “I don’t want to get in trouble anymore. I’d like to go a different direction.”

Horne said she would appoint a public defender to represent Baldwin. She released Baldwin on a promise to appear in court under the conditions that Baldwin submit to random drug and alcohol testing, not drive a car or possess alcohol or drugs.

Meshigaud, 27, filed a lawsuit in Washtenaw County Circuit Court in December against Baldwin and the car’s reported owner, Cherie Ann Ray, seeking an unspecified amount of money. The suit alleges Baldwin was negligent, including by driving at an excessive rate of speed, failing to yield the right of way and driving under the influence.

The suit claims Meshigaud suffered a severe brain injury and was left in a coma after the accident. It also alleges Ray was negligent by entrusting Baldwin to drive, knowing Baldwin had a history of negligent driving.

It’s unclear how Meshigaud is doing. Attorney David Christensen, who is representing her, could not be reached for comment this afternoon.

A preliminary hearing in the criminal case is scheduled for June 21.

Lee Higgins covers crime and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at (734) 623-2527 and email at leehiggins@annarbor.com.