PORT ANGELES — A Sequim man accused of vehicular homicide and hit-and-run pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Friday.
Gene S. Mensik, 51, remained in custody Saturday in the Clallam County jail in lieu of $200,000 bail.
His trial has been set for June 27 and is estimated to last eight days. A status hearing has been set for May 27 at 1 p.m.
Mensik is accused of hitting Scott G. Franklin, also of Sequim,who was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle and died two days later after he was taken off life support.
Mensik was originally arrested on investigation of driving while under the influence of intoxicants, hit-and-run injury and vehicular assault.
The higher charges were filed Tuesday after police heard that Franklin had died.
At the hearing, Deputy Prosecutor Ann Lundwall said she intended to file motions to add an aggravating factor to the charges, according to court documents.
The aggravating factor was not specified.
Police said Mensik hit Franklin with his Jeep Wrangler at about 7:15 a.m. April 21 at the 600 block of East Washington Street in Sequim.
Police said it appeared that Mensik struck Franklin while attempting to get back on the road, driving on the sidewalk for about 30 to 50 feet.
Mensik didn’t stop after striking Franklin and continued driving for another 11 blocks until he reached the parking lot outside the J.C. Penney store at the 600 block of West Washington Street, where he was arrested, police said.
A portable breath tester registered Mensik’s blood-alcohol level at 0.147 percent about 30 minutes after the hit-and-run, according to court documents. The legal limit is 0.08 percent.
