Portland — A 64-year-old man whose pickup struck and killed a Washington State University math professor last year in Northeast Portland admitted in court Tuesday that he was drunk at the time of the crash.
Richard Earl Dryden of Longview pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence of intoxicants before Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Jerry Hodson.
As part of a plea deal, prosecutors dropped one count of criminally negligent homicide, and Hodson sentenced Dryden to 20 days in jail and three years of probation. He also must pay a $10,000 compensatory fine and complete drug and alcohol treatment.
Thomas James Gazzola, 55, was jogging in a residential neighborhood on June 3, 2015, when Dryden hit him with his truck. Dryden was traveling east on Northeast Wasco Street just before 5:30 p.m. when he turned right onto Northeast 60th Avenue and struck Gazzola, who was crossing the street in an unmarked crosswalk, according to police reports at the time.
Dryden told police that he stopped at a stop sign, looked left, right, then left again before he turned onto 60th Avenue, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Circuit Court after his arrest last year. Dryden didn’t see Gazzola, he told police, until he caught a glimpse of a white T-shirt hitting his front bumper. He then felt his truck run Gazzola over.
Police said Dryden smelled like alcohol. He first told investigators he had a 12-ounce beer at a tavern, then later admitted to having three additional drinks at another place, the affidavit says. He failed a field sobriety test.
Gazzola, who was a nationally renowned puzzle expert and taught at Washington State University’s Vancouver campus, died a week after the crash when he was taken off life support.
A Multnomah County grand jury indicted Dryden on charges of impaired driving and criminally negligent homicide in October.
Prosecutor Lauren Kemp told the court Tuesday that she discussed the case with her supervisors, and they determined that the state could not prove the homicide charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Kemp said the case was tragic for all involved and that Gazzola’s family understood the agreement that was reached. His family did not make a statement in court.
Dryden’s attorney, Ben Eder, only asked that the court follow the plea deal for sentencing. His client also did not make a statement.
At the end of the hearing, two Multnomah County sheriff’s deputies took Dryden into custody and led him out of the courtroom.
