FORKS — A 20-year-old woman walking along a dark and possibly foggy Forks road just outside the city limit was struck by a car and killed early Sunday.
And because Clallam County investigators believe the driver had been drinking, he was jailed Sunday for investigation of vehicular homicide.
Mary Cram, 20, who was raised in Forks and had moved to Port Angeles, was walking along East Division Street when she was struck by a car driven by Travis Germeaux, 29, of Forks, Undersheriff Ron Peregrin said.
Germeaux and his passenger, brother Matt Germeaux, 24, took her to Forks Community Hospital.
Cram was pronounced dead while being flown to Port Angeles about 6:15 a.m., Peregrin said.
Because it appeared that Travis Germeaux had been drinking, Peregrin said he was booked into the Clallam County jail in Port Angeles about 7 p.m.
No bail was set.
“The causes of this at this point appear to be speed and alcohol,” Peregrin said.
“There also was the possibility of heavy ground fog at that time of the morning.
“Also that portion of East Division is a small two-lane road with no centerline or anything like that.”
A person can be charged with vehicular homicide if a person dies as a result of a collision and the driver is under the influence of drugs or alcohol, driving in a reckless manner or driving “with disregard for the safety of others,” state law says.
Peregrin quoted Travis Germeaux as saying hitting Cram with the car was an accident.
Forks police first responded to the call at about 2:30 a.m., Peregrin said.
But because the wreck was in unincorporated territory outside the city limit, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office took charge of the investigation.
Cram was reportedly Matt Germeaux’s girlfriend, according to Forks residents. Peregrin could not immediately confirm the connection.
“He was just a passenger in this case,” Peregrin said.
“We haven’t yet confirmed it, but we have heard that they were on their way to pick her up when the vehicle struck her.”
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
