PORT TOWNSEND — A Port Townsend man faces a Sept. 14 trial on charges of vehicular homicide and vehicular assault stemming from a fatal crash in January.
Taylour Eldridge, 25, was charged in Superior Court on Friday with one count of each charge, both in connection with driving under the influence.
Gregory Bolling, 23, of Port Townsend died as result of the single-car crash on state Highway 20 near Eaglemount Road at about 1:30 a.m. Jan. 17.
Another passenger in the car — Amelia R. Syska-Patten, 20, also of Port Townsend — was injured.
The State Patrol said speed was the cause of the wreck and that drugs or alcohol were involved.
Troopers said Eldridge was driving a 2006 Chevrolet pickup truck eastbound on Highway 20 when he failed to negotiate a curve, went over an embankment, crashed into a tree and overturned near Discovery Bay.
All three occupants were seriously injured and airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
Eldridge and Syska-Patten were treated and discharged.
Bolling died a few days later.
Eldridge was not arrested and was not under guard during his stay at Harborview.
Bolling, a 2009 Chimacum High School graduate who was listed on the Peninsula College honor roll for the 2014 spring and winter quarters, was born in Alaska and moved to Washington state when he was 1.
He was on hiatus from a seasonal job working in an Alaskan fish-processing plant at the time of his death.
Because Eldridge complied with a summons to appear at his court date and has no warrant history, he was allowed to return home, where he is confined under house arrest and monitored with an electronic tether, according to court records.
Superior Court Commissioner Steve Gillard ordered Eldridge not to consume, possess or use alcohol, marijuana or non-prescribed drugs, and not to refuse any urine analysis test or breath test during his time under house arrest.
Additionally, he cannot drive unless he is licensed and insured and is operating a vehicle equipped with an ignition interlock, a built-in breath test that prevents the engine from running if alcohol is detected.
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Sequim-Dungeness Valley Editor Chris McDaniel can be reached at 360-681-2390, ext. 5052, or cmcdaniel@peninsuladailynews.com.
