Man charged with murder in summer 2020 car crash in Spokane Valley

A man accused of driving recklessly while high on meth then hitting and killing another driver last summer has been charged with murder more than a year after the crash.

Trenton Demoor, 26, was arraigned this week on charges of second-degree murder, vehicular homicide, possession of a stolen vehicle and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Multiple witnesses reported a Chevrolet Malibu being driven erratically and doing burnouts near Centennial Middle School in Spokane Valley on the evening of June 6, 2020, according to court documents.

That same day, a Spokane Valley man reported his Chevrolet Malibu stolen from his home just blocks away.

Spokane Valley Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area and spotted the car speeding and running stop signs. The deputy turned on his lights and attempted to pull over the car driven by Demoor.

Demoor then sped off, according to court documents. He sped up to an estimated 90 mph as the deputy pursued him down Sullivan Road, according to court documents.

The deputy was several blocks behind Demoor when he ran a red light at the intersection of Sprague Avenue and Park Road, hitting a Toyota Prius that was in the intersection.

The driver of the Prius, John E. Morris, 42, died at the scene. Demoor was taken to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center with serious injuries.

Deputies found a 9mm pistol in the car and several bags of methamphetamine on Demoor, according to court documents.

Demoor was arrested for vehicular homicide at the time and deputies obtained a search warrant for his blood, according to court records.

Washington State Patrol detectives conducted the investigation into the collision. Their investigation showed that Demoor was driving between 84 and 91 mph at impact.

Detectives also found a pipe, more methamphetamine and a gun storage case in the car. At the time of the crash, Demoor had multiple felony convictions, including possession of a stolen motor vehicle, attempting to elude and possession of methamphetamine. Due to his prior felonies, it was illegal for Demoor to possess firearms.

Despite his initial arrest, Demoor was not charged with any crimes related to the collision until this month.

The results of the toxicology tests completed at the WSP laboratory were not complete until February. Those tests showed methamphetamine in Demoor’s system, officials said.

It’s common for investigations into fatality collisions to take up to a year to be completed, said Sgt. Darren Wright with the state patrol. Those investigations often rely on blood tests that have been delayed due to a backlog at the WSP crime lab.

The lab has received an “overwhelming” number of requests for blood analysis, causing significant delays, he said.

Demoor was in Department of Corrections custody over the last year on other charges until October when he was moved to the Spokane County Jail to appear on the murder and vehicular homicide charges. His trial is set for January.