TACOMA – The federal trial of Sela Anne Kalama, a Quinault 19-year-old who was indicted on two counts of involuntary manslaughter, has been pushed to October.
Kalama’s attorneys requested more time to file pre-trial motions because evidence from the U.S. Attorney’s Office is still outstanding, said a motion filed in court on July 20.
Attorneys have until Aug. 14 to file pre-trial motions.
In May, the trial date was set for June 18.
On May 23, it was changed to Oct. 9.
Two people died when Kalama, a Queets resident, drove a car containing six of her friends into the Elwha River near Port Angeles in the early morning hours of March 18.
Vanna K. Francis, 17, of the Lower Elwha tribe and Ronnie L. Scroggins, a 15-year old Makah, drowned.
The other teens in the car, including Kalama, escaped.
A grand jury returned an indictment on April 18, writing that Kalama had been “grossly negligent” because she had been drinking alcohol and using her cellular phone while driving too fast for the pitch-black conditions.
Kalama told investigators on the day of the deaths that she had consumed between 14 and 16 cans of beer before driving.
Passengers in the car said Kalama was text messaging when she drove into the river.
A barrier is now currently at the end of Lower Elwha Road where it abruptly drops into the river.
No such barrier was in place on the morning of March 18.
Kalama was released from jail shortly after her arrest and the court has allowed her to continue living with her family in Queets until the trial.
She was granted permission to leave the Quinault Reservation from July 20 to this coming Saturday to participate in the Paddle to Lummi canoe journey.
The Peninsula Daily News has not confirmed if she went on the journey.
