Jane Honda
01-09-2007, 04:45 PM
http://www.newsregister.com/news/story.cfm?story_no=217187
Driver charged in double-fatal Published: January 9, 2007
By PAUL DAQUILANTE
Of the News-Register
A Klamath Falls woman has been charged with two counts of criminally negligent homicide, a Class B felony, in connection with a June crash that killed two motorcyclists on Highway 18 between Valley Junction and Fort Hill.
Sharon Hartley, 41, was arraigned in Polk County Circuit Court. Since she has no prior record, the maximum sentence she could receive on conviction is three years in prison followed by three years of post-prison supervision, possibly accompanied by a fine, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Mark Heslinga.
Hartley has a pretrial conference scheduled Jan. 19. Her trial is slated to get under way Feb. 22.
Heslinga said he is prepared for a three-day trial, but said the case still could be settled via a plea bargain.
"I've been here since 1989," he said. "Most of our cases do settle.
"We try to resolve them if we can. But with this one, I just can't say."
Killed were co-workers David Randolph of McMinnville and Tim Clark of Hillsboro, both 51. Nearly killed was Randolph's wife, Linda, who was seated behind him on his bike.
The Oregon State Police gave this account:
Hartley was eastbound in a GMC pickup when she crossed the centerline for unknown reasons and sideswiped a westbound Ford pickup driven by Shonn R. Leno, 30, of Willamina.
She continued into the westbound lane, crashing head-on into the two motorcycles. The Randolphs were on a 2005 Harley-Davidson and Clark on a 2006 Honda. Hartley's pickup and the Randolphs' motorcycle caught fire and burned.
The men, friends who were working on the new Linfield College music building dedicated in September, set out with Randolph's wife to enjoy a pleasant ride on a beautiful day.
They were heading for the coast to visit a friend in Neskowin. Along the way, they stopped for breakfast at the Fort Hill Restaurant.
Before leaving the cafe, they called their friend to say they were about an hour way. Moments later, they were struck by the truck.
Linda Randolph suffered life-threatening injuries. She was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland, where doctors had to amputate the lower part of her left leg.
"She broke practically every bone in her body," said Patty Randolph White, a sister of David's from Mayfield, Ky. "She's put together with plates and screws."
A passenger in Hartley's pickup, Irene Hartley, 85, also of Klamath Falls, was transported by West Valley Fire District ambulance to the Willamette Valley Medical Center. She was released following emergency room treatment.
All three occupants of the pickup trucks were wearing seat belts and all three motorcyclists were wearing helmets. Both Hartley and Leno escaped injury.
White said she and her brother were just 15 months apart. She called him a blessing from God, saying they were always there for each other.
Even though they lived far apart, they talked all the time. She said she last spoke to him just two hours before he died.
White said her faith has allowed her to cope with the tragedy.
"I might have lost my brother, but I lost him doing something he absolutely loved to do," she said. "He had bought that Harley as a 50th birthday present to himself."
She said she has forgiven Hartley. "I'm a Christian, and it was something I had to do," she said.
But she wants to see justice done in the courts.
"It's not that we want to see her go to prison," White said. "That won't bring David or Tim back. It won't change anything that's happened.
"But two men died, and I almost lost my sister-in-law. She's lost everything.
"This woman needs to be held accountable. I want justice for David."
White said, "He was such a wonderful person. And Linda is such a fine, fine person.
"God blessed David with her. They were raising his two granddaughters."
White said her birthday falls on Halloween, and David never forgot it. He would call her every year just to wish her a happy birthday.
Thanks to the time difference, the calls often would come in the wee hours of the morning. David would always ask his sister what she was doing, and she would always respond that she was sleeping.
White said families can be torn apart by tragedies like this, but hers remains strong and united. She said nothing can ever change the fact that she and Linda are sisters-in-law.
"David's in heaven," she said. "We know that. Everyone else is taking this one step at a time."
White praised Heslinga's work in building a case for prosecution. In addition to doing an exemplary job on the legal front, he's been a constant source of support for the family, she said. Heslinga said he's just doing what comes naturally. "These people have suffered a loss," he said. "I'm not trained as a counselor, I'm trained as an attorney. It's hard to know what to say to comfort people."
I can see both sides of the story here, the woman needs to be punished for what she did, but also, it's not like she woke up that day and said she was going to kill the first biker she sees. I hope this will be a wake up call to all cagers on being more aware of us motorcyclists.
Driver charged in double-fatal Published: January 9, 2007
By PAUL DAQUILANTE
Of the News-Register
A Klamath Falls woman has been charged with two counts of criminally negligent homicide, a Class B felony, in connection with a June crash that killed two motorcyclists on Highway 18 between Valley Junction and Fort Hill.
Sharon Hartley, 41, was arraigned in Polk County Circuit Court. Since she has no prior record, the maximum sentence she could receive on conviction is three years in prison followed by three years of post-prison supervision, possibly accompanied by a fine, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Mark Heslinga.
Hartley has a pretrial conference scheduled Jan. 19. Her trial is slated to get under way Feb. 22.
Heslinga said he is prepared for a three-day trial, but said the case still could be settled via a plea bargain.
"I've been here since 1989," he said. "Most of our cases do settle.
"We try to resolve them if we can. But with this one, I just can't say."
Killed were co-workers David Randolph of McMinnville and Tim Clark of Hillsboro, both 51. Nearly killed was Randolph's wife, Linda, who was seated behind him on his bike.
The Oregon State Police gave this account:
Hartley was eastbound in a GMC pickup when she crossed the centerline for unknown reasons and sideswiped a westbound Ford pickup driven by Shonn R. Leno, 30, of Willamina.
She continued into the westbound lane, crashing head-on into the two motorcycles. The Randolphs were on a 2005 Harley-Davidson and Clark on a 2006 Honda. Hartley's pickup and the Randolphs' motorcycle caught fire and burned.
The men, friends who were working on the new Linfield College music building dedicated in September, set out with Randolph's wife to enjoy a pleasant ride on a beautiful day.
They were heading for the coast to visit a friend in Neskowin. Along the way, they stopped for breakfast at the Fort Hill Restaurant.
Before leaving the cafe, they called their friend to say they were about an hour way. Moments later, they were struck by the truck.
Linda Randolph suffered life-threatening injuries. She was transported by Life Flight helicopter to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland, where doctors had to amputate the lower part of her left leg.
"She broke practically every bone in her body," said Patty Randolph White, a sister of David's from Mayfield, Ky. "She's put together with plates and screws."
A passenger in Hartley's pickup, Irene Hartley, 85, also of Klamath Falls, was transported by West Valley Fire District ambulance to the Willamette Valley Medical Center. She was released following emergency room treatment.
All three occupants of the pickup trucks were wearing seat belts and all three motorcyclists were wearing helmets. Both Hartley and Leno escaped injury.
White said she and her brother were just 15 months apart. She called him a blessing from God, saying they were always there for each other.
Even though they lived far apart, they talked all the time. She said she last spoke to him just two hours before he died.
White said her faith has allowed her to cope with the tragedy.
"I might have lost my brother, but I lost him doing something he absolutely loved to do," she said. "He had bought that Harley as a 50th birthday present to himself."
She said she has forgiven Hartley. "I'm a Christian, and it was something I had to do," she said.
But she wants to see justice done in the courts.
"It's not that we want to see her go to prison," White said. "That won't bring David or Tim back. It won't change anything that's happened.
"But two men died, and I almost lost my sister-in-law. She's lost everything.
"This woman needs to be held accountable. I want justice for David."
White said, "He was such a wonderful person. And Linda is such a fine, fine person.
"God blessed David with her. They were raising his two granddaughters."
White said her birthday falls on Halloween, and David never forgot it. He would call her every year just to wish her a happy birthday.
Thanks to the time difference, the calls often would come in the wee hours of the morning. David would always ask his sister what she was doing, and she would always respond that she was sleeping.
White said families can be torn apart by tragedies like this, but hers remains strong and united. She said nothing can ever change the fact that she and Linda are sisters-in-law.
"David's in heaven," she said. "We know that. Everyone else is taking this one step at a time."
White praised Heslinga's work in building a case for prosecution. In addition to doing an exemplary job on the legal front, he's been a constant source of support for the family, she said. Heslinga said he's just doing what comes naturally. "These people have suffered a loss," he said. "I'm not trained as a counselor, I'm trained as an attorney. It's hard to know what to say to comfort people."
I can see both sides of the story here, the woman needs to be punished for what she did, but also, it's not like she woke up that day and said she was going to kill the first biker she sees. I hope this will be a wake up call to all cagers on being more aware of us motorcyclists.