PORT TOWNSEND — A Port Townsend man has pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and hit-and-run after he struck and killed bicyclist Esther Machado on Aug. 25.
Jeremy Jon Morris, 40, remained in the Jefferson County jail with no bail Saturday as he awaits his Oct. 16 sentencing on one count of vehicular homicide and one count of hit-and-run-death.
He pleaded guilty Friday in Jefferson County Superior Court during an arraignment before Judge Keith Harper to vehicular homicide with disregard for the safety of others and leaving the scene of an accident, Class A and B felonies, respectively.
The maximum sentence for a Class A felony such as vehicular homicide is life imprisonment and/or a $50,000 fine, while the maximum sentence for hit-and-run-death, a Class B felony, is 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Michael Haas estimated that Morris would be sentenced to about 54 months.
Haas said a vehicular homicide charge has three “prongs” — intoxication, recklessness and disregard for the safety of others — and that the guilty plea to the last item precluded the admission of any toxicity evidence that would have increased the penalty.
“Given potential proof issues and appellate issues, I’m generally satisfied with the end result,” Haas said.
“Unfortunately, we can never being Ms. Machado back, so no resolution within the criminal justice system will ever be adequate for a grieving family.”
According to police reports, Morris was driving south on state Highway 19 at about 1:10 a.m. when he swerved off the road and struck Machado, 38, who was riding her bicycle outside the fog line.
Haas said Machado died at the scene, her body landing in the middle of the road about 170 feet from the point of impact.
Morris told troopers that he fell asleep and drifted off the road when he hit Machado, according to court documents.
After striking Machado, Morris turned around and drove north to the residence of his wife, Heather Morris, who brought Morris back to the scene, court documents said.
By that time, State Patrol troopers, Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies and Port Townsend police were there, alerted to the collision by a call from a passer-by shortly after it happened, police said, and Morris was taken into custody.
Machado was wearing dark clothing, and her bicycle had no lights or reflectors when she was hit, according to police.
She had a Tacoma driver’s license but had lived in the Port Townsend and Port Hadlock areas for several years, police said, adding that they did not know her address and considered her a transient.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.