PORT ANGELES — On a warm, summer evening in August 2005, three men were killed in a crash on U.S. Highway 101.
Two were father and son. The other was a father of two small girls.
The man law enforcement believes caused the wreck was arrested, jailed and charged.
More than five postponements later, a court date has been set for the four-day trial: Oct. 9.
But there’s a chance the trial of Michael John Jones, 49, will get continued again.
For the loved ones of Ian Rolley, 45, his son, Jeremy, 21, and his friend, J.J. Brewer, 21, the nightmare started Aug. 3, 2005, and it hasn’t ended.
Family members have shown up for trial after having scheduled time off from work, only to be told that the case had been postponed.
“That’s how I found out,” said Jay Brewer, J. J. Brewer’s father.
“It’s such a helpless feeling,” said Jeanne Rolley, Ian Rolley’s mother and Jeremy Brewer’s grandmother.
Three died in crash
Investigators believe that on Aug. 3, 2005, Jones’ station wagon drifted across the U.S. Highway 101 centerline and the car’s front end clipped the front of a pickup truck driven by Ian Rolley.
The pickup truck containing three people then rolled into oncoming traffic and was hit by a cargo truck.
All three men were declared dead at the scene.
A State Patrol toxicology report said that Jones had multiple prescription drugs in his system, including methadone, a synthetic painkiller.
Jones had his wife and son in the car at the time of the crash.
Both were uninjured. Jones suffered minor injuries, cuts on his arm.
If convicted, Jones could face between 51 to 68 months in prison, according to court documents.
Currently he is being held in the Clallam County jail on $350,000 cash bail, charged with three counts of vehicular homicide.
Jones has pleaded not guilty.