No charges filed against Kenmore driver who killed Kirkland bicyclist
By PEYTON WHITELY
Kirkland Reporter Reporter
October 5, 2011 · 11:52 AM
No charges will be brought against a driver who struck a bicyclist on Juanita Drive in July, an attorney for the victim's family says.
The collision killed John Przychodzen, 49, of Connecticut. Investigators and witnesses reported Przychodzen was struck by a truck driven by an 18-year-old Kenmore man.
The case later was referred to the King County Prosecutor's Office for the possible filing of charges.
But Chris Davis, of the Davis Law Group, which was hired by Przychodzen's family, said Wednesday he has been informed that the Kirkland Prosecutor's Office, which eventually reviewed the July 22 incident, concluded no criminal charges would be filed.
"At the most, it would be negligence on the part of the driver, and when you factor in the higher burden of proof, they won't bring charges," he said.
Davis said it would be necessary to show "willful and wanton" conduct to sustain a criminal charge. "The family is devastated," he added.
Davis said the driver told police he had moved to the left to pass the bicyclist but then had moved back to the right to avoid an oncoming vehicle, eventually striking Przychodzen in the middle of a shoulder running along the northbound edge of Juanita Drive.
Contact Kirkland Reporter Reporter Peyton Whitely at pwhitely@kirklandreporter.com or 425-822-9166, ext. 5052.Comment on this story.
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