Trial for man accused in Washington State Patrol Trooper's death begins
The Brief
The trial for the man accused of hitting and killing a Washington State Trooper is now underway.
The state's case hinges on speed and driving under the influence being a factor in the crash, while the defense says the crash was a tragic accident.
Proceedings are expected to last several weeks.
MARYSVILLE, Wash. - More than a year after Washington State Patrol Trooper Christopher Gadd lost his life in a crash, Raul Benitez-Santana, the man charged in connection with his death, is now on trial.
Opening statements in the trial began on Friday, May 23.
Investigators say on Mar. 2, 2024, Gadd was on patrol when Benintez-Santana was under the influence and hit the trooper's car at more than 100-miles per hour.
What they're saying
"At the last second or two you can see Gadd must've stomped on the brake because the brake lights lit up on the patrol vehicle, but it's too late by that time and there is a violent collision," the state said.
During opening statements on Friday, they told the jury that the damage was so catastrophic that the car was unrecognizable.
"The force of the impact killed Trooper Gadd almost instantly. It caused severe fractures to the back of his skull," the state said.
While Trooper Gadd died at the scene, the state said Benitenz-Santana was uninjured, but his lawyers say, he was questioned while hospitalized. "They hover over him 'Raul, Raul, Raul' trying to get him to answer these questions, and he does," the defense said. She added, he admitted to speeding.
"You'll see in the video that he slams on his brakes as soon as the trooper's vehicle becomes visible and he swerves to the left but there was just not enough time," Benitez-Santana's attorney said in court. She adds, he was not impaired at the time, and while blood samples were taken that night, "the crime lab made mistakes in the testing."
"We are going to ask you to find the defendant guilty of vehicular homicide. There are two ways you can do that: by driving recklessly, or driving under the influence. We're going to ask you to do both in this case," the state said.
"When you hear the evidence in this case, the facts, the witnesses, the data and the science, you're going to see the state's case does not hold up. Yes, it was a tragic accident but not a crime," the defense said.
What's next
The trial is expected to last about three weeks.
The Source
Information in this story came from original FOX 13 Seattle interviews.
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