Herald staff
A Bellevue man pleaded innocent Tuesday to a vehicular homicide charge in an alleged road road-rage incident April 27 that took the life of a young passenger in a car headed in the opposite direction.
Allison L. Arnold, 33, made a brief appearance in Snohomish County Superior Court. He is charged with causing the crash that killed Georgia Pemberton, a 16-year-old Lake Stevens High School girl who was leaving a prom in Edmonds.
A June 21 trial date was set by Judge Larry McKeeman, although deputy prosecutor Michael Downes said it’s likely the trial won’t actually proceed until sometime later in the summer or fall.
On the night of the crash, Arnold told police he was not at fault because he swerved into traffic to avoid a collision with another car he was passing. Edmonds police, however, said their investigation showed that Arnold was angry with the driver of the second car and was trying to pass when his car swerved over the centerline of Highway 104 and plowed into the car containing Pemberton.
Several members of the girl’s family were in court Tuesday, including her grandmother, Kitty Marr.
The prosecutor’s office said the standard range for the offense in Arnold’s case is around two years if he is convicted.
Marr said she doesn’t think that’s enough time.
"He took my baby," she said. "We’ll be in pain forever."
Arnold has been jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail. If he makes bail, McKeeman said Arnold is not to drive unless he has a driver’s license and proper insurance.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
