PORT ANGELES — A Clallam County Superior Court judge has set bail at $100,000 each for two Port Angeles drivers who are being investigated for vehicular homicide and driving under the influence of alcohol for their roles in a Sunday morning wreck that killed a 45-year-old Sequim woman.
Shelly Marie Bartlett died Sunday afternoon at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle from injuries she sustained in the collision at Dry Creek Road and Edgewood Drive on Port Angeles’ west side.
Bartlett was riding on the back of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Roger Dean Mallicott, 46, when the motorcycle crashed into a 1999 Ford Expedition driven by Lovera Marjorie Blackcrow, 29, at about 1:30 a.m.
According to the charging documents, Blackcrow was waiting to turn left onto Edgewood Drive at a stop sign. After two cars turned south onto Dry Creek Road, Blackcrow entered the intersection in front of the rapidly approaching motorcycle, the investigation said.
Mallicott braked hard and lost control of the motorcycle, which overturned and ejected Bartlett. She slammed into Blackcrow’s vehicle, according to the Clallam County sheriff’s investigator who filed the report.
Bartlett sustained major head trauma and was flown from Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles to Harborview, where she died at 5:20 p.m.
‘Strong odor’
The sheriff’s investigator detected “a strong odor of intoxicants” on Blackcrow and noted other symptoms of intoxication, according to his report.
Blackcrow failed a field sobriety test and took a breath test showing a 0.12 percent blood-alcohol content, the report said.
A blood test was later performed at Olympic Medical Center.
The legal limit in Washington is 0.08 percent blood-alcohol content.
According to the investigation, Mallicott had also been drinking, but field sobriety results were not in his court file as of Monday afternoon.
Clallam County Prosecuting Attorney Deb Kelly filed concurrent criminal information for Blackcrow and Mallicott. Both defendants had a blood-alcohol content of 0.08 percent, according to the criminal information.
Mallicott and Blackcrow were both arrested on investigation of vehicle assault and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Vehicular homicide
After Bartlett’s death, however, the Clallam County Sheriff’s Department upgraded the investigation to vehicular homicide.
Vehicular homicide is a Class A felony that carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Blackcrow was booked into the Clallam County jail at 4:14 a.m. Sunday. Mallicott was booked 35 minutes later.
In their initial court appearances Monday, Superior Court Judge George L. Wood granted Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ann Lundwall’s request for $100,000 bail in each case.
“Based upon the seriousness of the offense that’s been charged, I’m going to set bail at that level,” Wood told Blackcrow.
The Clallam County Public Defender’s Office was appointed to Mallicott’s case.
Blackcrow said she that would seek her own attorney.
Neither defendant has a previous criminal history, documents reported.
Mallicott and Blackcrow will be arraigned in Superior Court on Friday at 9 a.m., during which time they will plead to formal charges.
________
Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-417-3537 or at rob.ollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
