FIVE VICTIMS, including Andy Tedford and Suzanne McCay of Maple Valley and Ravensdale, were represented in court this week by testimony from family and friends.
A series of updates for court proceedings in the case of State of Washington vs. Nicholas Windsor Anderson was scheduled through February 2017. This case involves the October 25, 2014 vehicular homicide deaths of four local victims from Ravensdale, Maple Valley, Enumclaw and Auburn: Suzanne McCay, Caleb Graham, Andy Tedford and Rehlein Stone, along with cirtically injured James Vaccaro.
Following a selection of 14 jurors on February 1st with opening statements the following day, family witness testimony in the case was given by Ronda and Steven Tedford, Patricia Ragsdale, James and Jacob Vaccaro, along with “best friends” Derrick Hess and Frank Tatick who all testified on behalf of the prosecution. The list of witnesses continued throughout the past week with crash-site respondents from fire, police and medical units.
New scheduling of court dates is currently as follows: Tuesday, Feb.21 -medical examiner testimony and testimony of Officer Patrick Douglas with crash scene photos; Wednesday, 22 – Dr. McClung, neuropsychologist testimony for the defense; Thursday, 23 – Crash scene expert, Ron Sanders; Monday, 27 {morning) – Live courtroom televised visit of jurors at auto comparison scene; Monday, 27, {afternoon} – Doctor who treated critical injury victim James Vaccaro at Harborview Medical Center; Tuesday, 28 – DNA analyst testimony.
The court case involves the single car crash at the 3700 block on Auburn Way South near Muckleshoot Casino. The car was heading toward Auburn from Enumclaw. A mechanical forensics expert, Roger Smedsrud, concluded his testimony for the prosecution last week stating there were “no other contributing factors – the damage to the vehicle was all done by speed.” Smedsrud had taken 600 photos of car parts/damage, spending nine hours on the forensic study. The 1995 Nissan 330ZX was cut in half lengthwise from the front passenger side to the back left side behind the driver’s door. Only the left door latch remained intact. The floorboards were gone. Smedsrud was able to rule out both weather and any pre-mechanical condition on the vehicle as contributing factors.
Smedsrud’s testimony reiterated testimony by Officer Patrick Douglas, a collision reconstructionist, who has served 22 years in law enforcement. He has mapped and diagrammed “hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of collisions from fender benders to this type.” As the first police respondent to the scene, Douglas said, “This was the worst crash I’ve ever seen. The most destructive to car and occupants I’ve ever seen.” He said the road, Auburn Way South, showed no evidence of auto sliding, no gouge marks, no brake marks nor evidence of steering issue for 300 feet. He also ruled out wet weather conditions. The driver’s side compartment was the only area left intact. The rear Metro bench seat, all padded, was deemed the second most safe area. “Everything else was ripped apart including the floor. It took a lot of force.” His job on scene, as he described it, was to determine “What could cause those conditions? What amount of energy?” He emphasized, “It shows a huge amount of energy.”
The defendant Anderson remains jailed in Kent. At Norm Maleng Regional Justice Center, the case with Superior Court Judge Cheryl Carey convenes Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. with two breaks and lunchtime. A March 23 conclusion date of the case was set.
