PORT ANGELES — A Port Angeles man police say backed his pickup truck into another man, sending him into a nearby ditch, has been charged with two felonies.
Todd Edward Baker, 49, pleaded not guilty Wednesday in Clallam County Superior Court to one count each of vehicular assault and hit-and-run resulting in an injury.
The charges stem from Baker allegedly backing his truck on purpose into David Bauman, 49, of Port Angeles after the two left a wake for a friend at a home on South Alder Lane south of U.S. Highway 101 on Sept. 11.
Baker has maintained he did not see Bauman when he backed up his truck, and Bauman has said he does not think Baker did it on purpose.
Bauman suffered a broken ankle, a head laceration and other injuries when the truck struck him and pushed him into a ditch, according to Clallam County Sheriff’s Office accounts.
Baker was released from the Clallam County jail on his own recognizance last Friday after turning himself in to the Sheriff’s Office the day before.
He is next set to appear in Clallam County Superior Court on Oct. 31 for a case status hearing.
A preliminary jury trial date has been set for Dec. 9.
Deputy account
A Sheriff’s Office report gave this account:
Baker and Bauman were asked to leave the gathering at the Alder Lane home because they were arguing.
As Bauman was standing near where the driveway to the home and Alder Lane met, Baker reversed his truck along Alder Lane and diagonally across the driveway until he hit Bauman.
Baker then got out of the truck, yelled at Bauman as he lay in a ditch on the south side of the driveway, then drove off.
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Reporter Jeremy Schwartz can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5074, or at jschwartz@peninsuladailynews.com.
