Pedestrian hit and killed in downtown Spokane identified, driver remains in jail

The man who was hit and killed by a car Dec. 9 in downtown Spokane has been identified as 57-year-old James Edward Boyd.

Boyd was hit just before 8 p.m. at Third Avenue and Howard Street. Police said Boyd was trapped underneath the car and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle, David Macinnes, 50, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular homicide after police discovered evidence that he was intoxicated, according to court records.

Macinnes told police he had turned onto Third Avenue when he heard a thud of his vehicle hitting something, according to court records. He stopped and several bystanders came up, telling Macinnes he had hit someone, according to court records.

After getting out of his car, Macinnes said he had to urinate very badly and ran behind a nearby business to do so before returning to the situation to help, according to court records.

By that point, bystanders had already called 911.

Macinnes told police he is blind in his right eye and has never had a driver’s license, according to court documents. Macinnes also told police he is a type 1 diabetic but when he checked his blood sugar earlier it was normal.

The police officer on scene asked Macinnes if he used any drugs or alcohol, and Macinnes said no and agreed to do field sobriety tests, records say. The officer observed multiple signs of impairment during the tests, so the officer asked Macinnes for a second time if he had used drugs, according to court records.

Macinnes then admitted to using methamphetamine, first saying he had used it several days prior then saying he had used it the night before, according to court records.

Macinnes is being held in the Spokane County jail on a $50,000 bond. He most recently pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled substance in 2006.