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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Woman, Daughter Killed Jeep Hit Them While They Were Fishing From Bridge

A woman and her teenage daughter died Tuesday after being hit by a vehicle while fishing off a bridge in Stevens County. Six other people were injured.

The driver was jailed on vehicular homicide charges.

Nancy Gillespie, 43, of Kettle Falls, and Jennifer Gillespie, 15, were pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 9:30 p.m.

Gillespie’s 12-year-old son, John, suffered head, skull and pelvic fractures and was transferred from Mount Carmel Hospital in Colville to Sacred Heart Medical Center.

Hospital officials refused to release his condition Wednesday at the request of relatives, but medics at the scene of the accident said he was critically hurt.

Two other victims, Matthew Garrison, 15, and David Pitchart, 18, were listed in stable condition at Mount Carmel. Both are from Kettle Falls.

Garrison suffered injuries to his leg and hand and cuts to his neck. Pitchart received minor injuries.

Washington State Patrol troopers said the Gillispie family members were fishing off a bridge on Mingo Mountain Road, about a half-mile south of Kettle Falls.

David Davis, 38, was southbound in his Jeep and failed to negotiate a curve in the road, striking the bridge’s guardrail, troopers said. The Jeep followed the guardrail along the bridge.

After hitting the family, the Jeep sped another 40 feet, striking Garrison and Pitchart, who were on bicycles, before going over an embankment and hitting a tree.

Davis, of Kettle Falls, was booked into the Stevens County Jail for two counts of vehicular homicide and one count of vehicular assault.

Troopers said Davis was speeding and had been drinking.

, DataTimes