Charges in fatal crash
Two Coeur d’Alene men were charged with vehicular manslaughter Wednesday for an Oct. 13 crash that killed a 14-year-old Hayden boy and severely injured the boy’s mother.
Idaho State Police say Dominick F. Salois, 19, and Daniel W. Cutting, 18, were racing their cars on Coeur d’Alene’s Kathleen Avenue at speeds of 80 mph – well over the posted limit of 35 mph – when they crashed.
If convicted, Salois and Cutting each could receive a 10-year prison sentence. They were held on $50,000 bond at the Kootenai County Jail after their arrests Wednesday.
According to state police reports, both men turned onto Kathleen Avenue from Ramsey Road around 11 a.m. and drove east on Kathleen, traveling side by side and reaching speeds of about 80 mph.
Salois’ 2006 Ford Mustang struck a Chevy Caprice driven by 52-year-old Glenda Norris, who was attempting to turn left from Howard Avenue onto Kathleen. Her son, Isaac Norris, was killed instantly, police said. Cutting reportedly swerved to avoid the crash, rolling his 2005 Subaru Impreza.
Glenda Norris suffered critical injuries and was flown to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. She is expected to be moved to Kootenai Medical Center this weekend for further treatment and to help plan her son’s funeral, police said.
The Norris family could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Neither Salois nor Cutting was seriously injured. Kootenai County sheriff’s Capt. Ben Wolfinger said neither was available for interviews Wednesday because the jail staff hadn’t completed the booking process. They’re expected to make their first appearance in court today.
Cutting’s attorney, Michael Verbillis, would only say that there will be a preliminary hearing in the case. That’s the stage in a criminal case when prosecutors must establish probable cause that a crime has been committed and that the accused is likely the one who committed the crime.
The stretch of Kathleen Avenue where the crash occurred fronts two schools: Ramsey Elementary and the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy.
Authorities said the street racing that led to the crash appears to be an isolated incident.
Idaho State Police Capt. Wayne Longo said troopers haven’t reported a problem with racing on North Idaho’s highways. Coeur d’Alene police Sgt. Christie Wood said racing hasn’t been a problem on city streets. “It’s highly unusual for Coeur d’Alene,” she said.