Krmpotich dies in motorcycle accident
SANDPOINT — A Bonners Ferry motorcyclist was killed on Highway 200 Wednesday after he crashed into a car which was partially blocking his lane of travel, Idaho State Police said late Wednesday.
Daniel Krmpotich, 52, died following the collision, according to state police. The driver of the vehicle Krmpotich hit with his 1988 Yamaha motorcycle, Oly Lee Morris, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter, ISP said.
Morris, a 20-year-old from Clark Fork, is charged at the misdemeanor level, a 1st District Court database indicates. He posted $300 bond on Thursday and was released from the Bonner County Jail.
The court file is sealed pending a first appearance in the magistrate division of district court.
The crash happened at about 12:45 p.m. in Clark Fork.
State police said Krmpotich was eastbound the highway and Morris was westbound in a Mitsubishi. Morris started to make a left-hand turn on the highway, but saw Krmpotich closing in and swerved back into the westbound lane, ISP said.
Morris’ car came to a stop, but it partially blocked the eastbound lane, according to ISP. Krmpotich laid down his motorcycle and collided with the driver-side of Morris’ car.
Attempts to revive Krmpotich, who was wearing a helmet, were not successful, state police said.
Morris was not injured in his crash, said ISP. Walter Hayes, 19, of Clark Fork was a passenger in the two-door Mitsubishi Morris was driving, but it was not clear from the ISP news release whether he was injured in the crash.
Morris was arrested earlier this year on charges of reckless driving and eluding a law officer on Highway 200 west of town, court records indicate.
A Bonner County Sheriff’s deputy clocked Morris at 80 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone on Jan. 26, the arrest report said.
Deputy Jeremy Deal reported that Morris, driving a Honda Accord, fled during an attempted traffic stop, but ended up crashing while trying to turn onto East Spring Creek Road at a high rate of speed.
Morris pleaded innocent to the charges, but later agreed to a plea deal which called for him to admit guilt to the eluding charge in exchange for the dismissal of the reckless charge, court records say.
Judge Barbara Buchanan imposed a suspended 90-day jail sentence on March 10. She also fined him $200 and placed him on one-year’s probation.
Morris asked Buchanan in May to waive a requirement that he obtain high-risk insurance, saying he had “learned his lesson” from the Jan. 26 crash.
Buchanan denied the request.
“Given the seriousness of the charges, I believe you should carry high risk insurance,” Buchanan said in a May 8 letter responding to Morris’ request.