A man who allegedly caused a fatal crash in April on state Highway 503 near Battle Ground made a first appearance Tuesday afternoon in Clark County Superior Court.
Dean M. Imokawa, 46, of Battle Ground pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and reckless driving charges related to an April 2 crash.
Imokawa was summoned to court Tuesday after Senior Deputy Prosecutor Kasey Vu reviewed a probable cause affidavit from the Washington State Patrol dated July 20. WSP had been investigating the incident, which sent three people to the hospital, including Imokawa. A Battle Ground woman, 86-year-old Eleanor Tapani, died the following day from her injuries.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Imokawa was driving north on the highway in a GMC pickup shortly before 9:30 a.m. when he attempted to switch into the left lane near Milepost 5. His pickup struck the passenger side of a Land Rover driven by 29-year-old Nicholas Grier of Battle Ground. The pickup then crossed the median and entered the southbound lanes, where it was struck on the passenger side by a Kia Sorento.
The driver of the Kia, Linda Dallum, 55, of Battle Ground, and her passenger, Tapani, were injured and transported to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver. Imokawa also was treated at PeaceHealth and released. Grier was not injured, court records said.
Dallum suffered multiple fractured ribs and fractures to her right ankle, foot and knee cap. Tapani’s subsequent death was caused by multiple blunt-force injuries, according to the affidavit.
Grier told police that Imokawa was following him too closely and at times was only 1 to 2 feet behind him. Another witness, John Gain, said Imokawa attempted to pass Grier in the right lane and nearly hit the back of the vehicle traveling ahead of him, court documents said. Several witnesses said it did not appear that Imokawa had enough space to make a successful lane change in front of Grier, the affidavit said.
Data from Imokawa’s pickup recorded his speed at 68 mph prior to his airbag deploying. The posted speed limit in that area is 55 mph, according to court records.
Imokawa appeared in court Tuesday with his Vancouver attorney, Jeff Staples. His trial is set to begin Dec. 7.
