TACOMA — Kitsap County Deputy Prosecutor Barbara Dennis will undergo a two-year alcohol treatment program in lieu of a felony charge for her DUI arrest in early October.

Dennis will be under formal supervision — probation — until Nov. 1, 2018. Pierce County District Court issued the verdict Nov. 1. The court order includes attending alcohol/drug information school, a DUI victims panel, and self-help AA or NA meetings for two years.

Dennis will make her next court appearance Nov. 15 for a review of the order.

If Dennis is not compliant with the deferred treatment program, she could be arraigned and prosecuted for a gross misdemeanor. Dennis was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol Oct. 22 in Pierce County District Court.

Dennis was arrested Oct. 9 by a Washington State Patrol trooper responding to a vehicle collision at State Route 307 and Pugh Road. Dennis, the driver of one of the two vehicles, had two 3-year-olds in her vehicle at the time.

After refusing to give a breath sample, Dennis was arrested and taken to Kitsap County Jail, where she had breath sample of 0.144 and 0.134. The legal limit is 0.08.

Her sister-in-law picked up the two children at the scene.

The Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office agreed to handle the case, to avoid any conflict of interest for Kitsap County District Court.

The arrest occurred during an investigation into a rear-end collision, according to a report by the trooper. A witness of the collision told the trooper that Dennis, who was driving a Dodge van, failed to brake for the car in the same lane, hitting the car from behind and pushing it into oncoming traffic.