Underage sex adds to man’s sentence

By SCOTT NORTH

Herald Writer

A Monroe man facing more than two years in prison for a fatal Feb. 8 hit-and-run crash on U.S. 2 has been ordered to serve an additional 1 1/2years behind bars for having sex with a teen-aged girl.

Jeffrey Thorne Fraser, 43, was sentenced late last month to 27 months in prison after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in the death of June Marie Mathews, 57.

On Thursday, Snohomish County Superior Court Judge Linda Krese sentenced him to an additional 20 months in prison for third-degree child rape involving a 14-year-old girl.

The sex occurred in May, roughly three months after Mathews’ death, and while Fraser was awaiting charges on the vehicular homicide.

The crimes were "two independent choices Mr. Fraser made to injure people," Krese said. She ordered Fraser to serve his sentences consecutively, meaning his total time behind bars should be about four years.

Both sentences were the top punishments under state sentencing guidelines.

They still weren’t long enough for Mathews’ family. The slain woman’s husband, Lee, suggested five years behind bars. He said Fraser needs to be "kept from the innocent victims that walk the streets of this county."

Mathews died a rainy morning when Fraser, driving at up to 90 mph, slammed his car into her vehicle, knocking it in front of a pickup. He then drove away.

Fraser became a suspect within hours when he called police, intoxicated, and reported that he’d been the victim of a hit-and-run accident. His license plate later was found impaled on the tailpipe of Mathews’ car, according to court papers.

Fraser had been drinking before the crash and traces of cocaine were found in his blood, the judge was told. He was drinking and using cocaine prior to the child rape as well, court papers say.

He apologized for his actions Thursday. Krese told him that one benefit of a longer sentence is he stands a better chance of receiving treatment as a sex offender and for substance abuse problems.