Vehicular manslaughter trial Aug. 19

By AARON BOHACHEK

Staff writer

BONNERS FERRY — A driver was either talking or texting on his telephone which led him to a 2013 three-vehicle accident in 2013 that killed a 25-year-old Boundary County man, according to Idaho State Police.

Nearly a year to the day after the accident that claimed the life of Joshua W. Wilkerson, Keith D. Anderson will stand trial for misdemeanor manslaughter in connection with the case at 9 a.m. on Aug. 19 at the Boundary County Courthouse.

A new case was filed June 27 charging Anderson with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter, a violation of Idaho Code 18-4006(3)(c) not amounting to a felony and without gross negligence after extensive investigation on the case was completed by the Idaho State Police.

On July 2, Anderson pled not guilty through his attorney, Jed K. Nixon of Coeur d’Alene, triggering the jury trial. Nixon had no comment on the case, citing privacy concerns.

At 5:16 p.m. on Aug. 20, 2013, Wilkerson was southbound in a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero on U.S. Highway 95 when he stopped to turn east on to Mountain Meadows Road, according to state police.

Anderson, 22 at the time, of Coeur d’Alene was traveling southbound in a 2004 Subaru and rear-ended Wilkerson. The wreck pushed Wilkerson’s vehicle into the northbound lane of travel where it was struck by Derek J. Carpenter, 32, of Moyie Springs, who was traveling northbound in a 2013 Dodge Ram truck.

State police reported Wilkerson succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Wilkerson was wearing his seatbelt.