Spokane7
65°
August 30, 2011 in City
Hit-and-run questions linger
Teen may face criminal proceedings in death of cyclist
Helen Widener, wife of the bicyclist who died following a hit-and-run crash in June, says she is taking it day by day. A suspect has been identified but not charged.
(Full-size photo)
For Helen Widener, the days haven’t gotten easier.
When Spokane police first identified a suspect in the hit-and-run crash that led to the death of her husband, Dennis Widener, last month, she wondered if she might be able to meet with her and make peace.
But as the days passed, she realized how impossible that seemed.
“I wake up with a broken heart every morning,” she said. “It doesn’t matter who did it. He’s still gone.”
Spokane police Cpl. Brad Hallock this week recommended prosecutors charge the suspected driver, 18-year-old Megan C. Skillingstad, with failure to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in death. Deputy Prosecutor Mary Ann Brady is reviewing the case. She expects Skillingstad to be summoned to court for an arraignment after formal charges are filed.
Dennis Widener, 66, was struck June 23 as he rode his bike on Empire Avenue at North Division Street, just blocks from his home. He died July 6.
It took six weeks to identify a suspect. Helen Widener worried police would never find one, and she created an image in her head of what the perpetrator might look like.
“Drug-addicted crack addict in a stolen car,” Widener said. “Somebody I could openly, clearly hate. But it didn’t turn out that way.”
Skillingstad was a star softball player at Shadle Park High School and is to play at Spokane Community College in the fall. She has no criminal record.
Skillingstad did not return a phone call seeking comment. Her lawyer, Carl Oreskovich, has not responded to phone messages seeking comment.
Hallock seized Skillingstad’s 1996 Nissan Sentra on Aug. 5, one day after a friend called police and said she’d been trying – to no avail - to persuade Skillingstad to turn herself in.
Skillingstad’s father, Steve Skillingstad, answered the door and nodded when Hallock said, “You know why I’m here.”
Hallock said it appears Megan Skillingstad had recently told her father about the crash, and that the family had already contacted a lawyer.
“So they may have been in the process of contacting us, and I just got there first,” Hallock said. “It’s hard to say.”
“Nobody in the family is talking to me about the case,” Hallock said.
For Skillingstad to be charged with vehicular homicide, investigators need to show that she was driving recklessly, with a disregard for the lives of others, or she was intoxicated. Eight weeks after the crash, there was no evidence to show that.
“Based on the info I have at this time, there isn’t probable cause to charge vehicular homicide,” Hallock said last week.
He said he’ll continue to try to secure an interview with Skillingstad through her lawyer.
“I’m just hoping we can set that up and she’ll get an opportunity to tell her side of the story,” Hallock said.
Meanwhile, a white bike sits at the crash site in honor of Dennis Widener. The bikes are left at the scenes of fatal bike crashes across the country.
Helen Widener, who had been planning the couple’s 25th anniversary celebration when he died, said she tries to avoid the area, but it’s difficult. Her son, who is disabled and was heavily dependent on his father, requires prescription medicine that’s available at the Walgreens just down the street.
“It’s just natural that I go by there,” she said. She hopes others read about the circumstances surrounding her husband’s death and the ripple effect it’s had on not only his family, but the suspect’s family.
“You can’t just live for yourself,” Widener said.
Human trafficking suspects released 
JayNW on August 30 at 8:35 a.m.
I hope that girl lives with this nightmare forever. To hide behind an expensive attorney, while the widow grieves. Hope you feel good about your self young lady. You Megan are NOT The victim.
misjustice on August 30 at 8:40 a.m.
But she’s such a good girl, and a good ball player. She didn’t mean it. She’s really, really sorry…why won’t the fancy schmancy lawyer (Karl Thompson’s lawyer) just make it all go away? She’s such a good girl, and a good ball player. She didn’t mean it. She’s really, really sorry…why won’t the fancy schmancy lawyer (Karl Thompson’s lawyer) just make it all go away?
fdspokane on August 30 at 8:52 a.m.
Sounds to me this is selective enforcement of the law and protection of someone from “the right side of the tracks”.
This girl hit and run and never confessed, and now has a defense lawyer. Are we supposed to forgive her because she is an athlete or a good student?
If she was raised properly she would have taken responsibility for her actions, and now she must be held responsible for not doing that and for the death of this fine man, and the pain she has caused to his family.
Bruce (aka thatoneguy) on August 30 at 9:33 a.m.
Actions have consequences, and sometimes the consequences are more than just feeling terrible about what “happened” (i.e. what you did).
misjustice on August 30 at 9:40 a.m.
“Are we supposed to forgive her because she is an athlete or a good student?”
Apparently, yes.
Ed Byrnes on August 30 at 10:05 a.m.
As of right now it appears that this perpetrator (a) left the scene of a crime, (b) tried to avoid responsibility by not coming forward for six weeks, (c) was apprehended following a tip to police, and (d) has not cooperated with the investigation.
Apparently the perpetrators father aided and abetted her in concealing her crime. I have nothing against defendants having attorneys, it is our constitutional right. It appears that hiring an attorney as a first move rather than communicating with authorities speaks to intent.
MisJustice asks the operant question in her 9:40 am post.
As this case unfolds we will clearly see if there is equal justice.
The ball is in Mr. Tucker’s court.
Ed
MrNatural on August 30 at 11:03 a.m.
Personally speaking this incident is tragic enough without using it to sell newspapers.
My sincere condolences to Mrs. Widener for her loss and pity to the young woman as well.
misjustice on August 30 at 11:21 a.m.
Acually, Ed, all I did was quote fdspokane; who posed the question originally…
But I believe it is an important question. Even the widow said that she was imagining the driver as a drug addict in a stolen car. It’s easier to blame someone like that. A white, blonde haired, blue eyed girl, who is a talented athlete, a college student, who by all accounts is a good girl, and from a “good family”? Not so much.
She will, no doubt, present well in court as a sympathetic defendant. That is if she is ever charged and forced to appear in court.
Fearless1368 on August 30 at 1:08 p.m.
What us wrong with you people? You have nothing better to do with your life then to sit online and tear apart an amazing girl that none of you know anything about! I am 20 years old and is so sad that I am reading grown adults comments that are immature, destroying, and completley none of their business. Don’t you have a heart? She is a kid! Everyone in this world has made a mistAke and none of you hAve any right to pass judgement on her! As for her getting an expensive attorney, none of you know how hard that is on her family. You know nothing. She isn’t hiding! Shesos facing this the best she can. Your words could ruin her. Wishing her the nightmare of living with this?? How can you be so mean! Of course she is going to live with this! The only people who have a right to be upset and mean to her is the family it affected. You people need lives. I love you Megan. You can get through this. Because you’re an amazing person and these people just need somthing to do with their own boring lives. As for the family, I am so sorry fir your loss. That us what the comment section is for.
Ed Byrnes on August 30 at 1:30 p.m.
fearless,
The primary question being discussed in this forum is whether justice will be applied equally in this case.
Our county jail and state prisons house numerous people, first offenders, who did things far less harmful than what this young woman did, hence the persistent question about equal justice.
If you have evidence that i have factually misrepresented the young woman’s or her father’s behavior then correct me. As far as I know these facts, which have appeared more than once in press, have not been disputed by anyone, including the Skillingstad family.
For what it’s worth these forums serve multiple purposes beyond the narrow one that you assert.
Ed
misjustice on August 30 at 2:40 p.m.
Dear Miss Fearless:
I suggest that you concentrate on your spelling and sentence construction; it will serve you well in the future.
I admire the fact that you are standing up for your friend, that is what good friends do.
Other facts, though, also come to mind; your friend killed someone, she left the site of an injury accident, she hid her actions from the law the injured man and his family, she hid her actions from society, and from her own parents. She made some poor decisions after the accident.
Additionally, your friend was granted the privilege of operating a motor vehicle. With that privilege comes many duties and obligations. One is obeying the rules/laws of the road, which includes the edict that in the event of an unfortunate accident one is required to stop and render assistance to the injured party. Your friend did not do that; she made the poor decision to flee the scene of an injury accident, when all she would have had to do was call 9-1-1 and remain on the scene. Her decisions come with the resulting consequences.
I know, it’s difficult making the transition from kid to adult but Honey, it’s part of being/becoming a grown up; owning up to our mistakes.
The only question that remains is if the Prosecuting Attorney will make a decision to charge her and make her face the consequences of her poor decisions.
Love,
MisJustice
ChefGus/ John Olsen on August 30 at 6:49 p.m.
Clearly a case of hit and run, by all accounts. It Will be interesting to see how “Justice” is applied…..
One can never be sure, but i’d guess my daughter at the same age would have dialed 911..
It May be “excusable”, albeit still illegal, to leave the scene of an accident…. if confused and agitated…
But once home and sharing the story with parents, there likely could/should have been a different set of facts with regards the time line for it to surface.
We’ll see what Mr Tucker’s office comes up with in this unfortunate instance.. John