| Driver of pickup truck arraigned in court | |
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By Jennifer Denevan The Mountain Mail - Salida, Colorado | |
Wayne Fischer, 38 of Las Vegas, Nev., was arraigned in Chaffee County Court Wednesday in connection with the Jan. 10 traffic death of a 10-year-old girl and injury to others. In addition, a 5-year-old girl, one of 15 people in the pickup truck driven by Fischer when it rolled on Monarch Pass, was seriously injured and two others received minor injuries requiring treatment at Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center in Salida. Chaffee County Judge William Alderton continued the case to March 12 for a status conference to allow Rex Kindall, deputy 11th Judicial District Attorney, time to complete his report against Fischer. During the appearance Wednesday, Fischer, free on $1,000 bail, received official notification of 15 criminal charges stemming from the vehicle crash. Charges include one count of careless driving causing death and two counts of careless driving causing bodily injury. In addition, there are four counts of failure to provide or properly use child restraint systems and eight counts of failure to provide or properly use seatbelts for 6- to 17-year-olds. Fischer and his passengers were westbound when he lost control of the vehicle on icy U.S. 50. The arrest warrant reported the pickup truck traveled 53 feet off the road, rolled onto its side and hit a large boulder, breaking open the topper cover on the bed of the truck where 6 children were riding. At least one of the children hit the rock. Three adults, including the driver, and six children were riding in the pickup cab. None of the passengers was wearing seatbelts. The five-year-old girl was subsequently transported to Denver, and the nature of her injuries is unknown. Officials are withholding names of others who were in the pickup at the time of the wreck because investigation is ongoing. | |
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TheMountainMail.com Originally published January 24, 2008 | |
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