Crosswalk fatality ruled not the result of criminal actions

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Story Published: Oct 15, 2009 at 6:30 PM PDT

By Tim Novotny

NORTH BEND, ORE - An accident at a busy North Bend intersection in September, that claimed the life of a French tourist, will not result in any criminal charges.

On September 17th, 71 year old Michel Jean-Paul Bernard and 68 year old Marie-Therese Pradel were struck in a crosswalk at the intersection of Virgina and Sherman Avenues. Bernard later died from his injuries.

The driver of the vehicle that struck them, 24 year old Jared Bechtol of Coos Bay, was said to have cooperated fully with the investigation, and on Thursday the Coos County District Attorney released his findings.

Paul Frasier, in his report to the North Bend Police Department, noted that "not all crashes that result in death are criminal acts."

He says there were several eyewitnesses to the incident and none of them saw the vehicle being driven erratically or at a high rate of speed. Bechtol also gave a breath sample and blew a zero-percent blood alcohol content.

Frasier concluded that there was insufficient evidence that Bechtel acted in a reckless or criminally negligent way.

However, he did recommend that North Bend Police issue traffic citations to Bechtol for Careless Driving and Failing to Stop and Remain Stopped for a Pedestrian.

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