By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
Lewis County Prosecutor Michael Golden’s office announced this morning it will seek reconsideration of a ruling made yesterday in court that dismissed a negligent driving case against the 18-year-old who was driving the pickup truck involved in a Dec. 8 collision on U. S. Highway 12 at Mossyrock in which his passenger, 17-year-old Ryan Rashoff, was killed.
Benjamin Lamotte of Silver Creek was cited with second-degree negligent driving after the deadly crash with a logging truck.
The reason for yesterday’s dismissal in Lewis County District Court was an error in setting a hearing date beyond 120 days from the issuance of the infraction, according to a news release.
According to Golden’s office, Court Commissioner Wendy Tripp initially allowed a continuance at the request of Lamotte’s defense attorney, and then allowed another continuance at the request of the deputy prosecutor.
Tripp on Tuesday then agreed with a defense motion that she did not have the authority to grant the second continuance, and so she dismissed the infraction, according to the news release.
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter