FORKS — A Clallam County Superior Court judge today set $50,000 bail for the Forks man accused of vehicular homicide when the car he was driving struck Mary Cram, 20, of Port Angeles.
Travis J. Germeaux, 29, will enter a plea to the charge at his arraignment on Friday at 9 a.m.
Cram was walking along East Division Street just outside the Forks city limit at about 2:30 a.m. when she was struck by a car driven by Germeaux (pronounced ger-mo), the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office said.
Germeaux and his brother, Matt Germeaux, 24, took Crum from the scene to Forks Community Hospital.
She was airlifted from there to Olympic Medical Center in Port Angeles.
Cram pronounced dead during the helicopter flight at about 6:15 a.m., Clallam County Undersheriff Ron Peregrin said.
Travis Germeaux was booked into the Clallam County jail at 7:17 p.m. on Sunday.
Based on his prior convictions, Clallam County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Ann Lundwall asked Judge George L. Wood to set bail at $75,000 bail.
Travis Germeaux had prior convictions for driving without a valid driver’s license in 2006, operating a required interlock device in 2004, two outstanding warrants in 2002 and several minor-in-possession convictions, Lundwall said.
Defense attorney John Hayden asked the judge to set $25,000 bail to give his client a “glimmer of hope” of posting bail.
Wood split the difference and set $50,000 bail based on suspicions that Travis Germeaux had been drinking at the time of the wreck.
A blood sample was drawn from Travis Germeaux for lab analysis.
“I don’t know when the blood test will come in, but it will be important to take a look at that when it does come in,” Wood said.
Travis Germeaux pleaded guilty in August 2002 to taking a motor vehicle without the owner’s permission and driving under the influence. He was ordered to 232 hours of community service in lieu of 29 days in jail.
A second-degree assault charge from March 2002 was dropped in April 2002.
(Earlier story on home page)
