By Mike Weland
Calling these the most difficult cases for the court, Idaho First Judicial Magistrate Judge Patrick R. McFadden on November 13 accepted Spokane man’s plea of guilty to a misdemeanor charge of vehicular manslaughter for his role in a three-vehicle collision April 14 that claimed the life of 50-year-old Naples resident Robert Copeland.
According to the Idaho State Police, Ismael Reynoso, 34, who lives in Spokane but works locally, was traveling south on Highway 95 near mile 495 in a blue Honda Odyssey when he rear-ended Copeland’s blue Chevrolet pickup, sending him into the northbound lane, where he collided with a Honda Ridgeline driven by a 79-year-old Coeur d’Alene man accompanied by a 72-year-old-woman, also from Coeur d’Alene.
Both vehicles caught fire on impact. Robert was pronounced dead at the scene, his passenger and compadre, his girlfriend’s son Isaiah, as well as the passenger in the Ridgeline, were hospitalized.
Charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter and inattentive driving June 11, investigation found that Reynoso was not impaired at the time of the collision, that there was no gross negligence. The inattenive driving charge was dismissed.
Robert’s father, Roy Copeland, and his sister, Molly Brown, both spoke of their grief over the loss of a son and brother, a victim’s advocate read a statement into the record.
The defense requested no jail time, the prosecution said there is nothing we can do to remedy these losses or injuries, that is the state’s job to protect society.
Calling this an unfortunate accident with the incredible loss as real as the court heard, McFadden sentenced Reynoso to 100 days in jail, 84 days suspended, 80 hours Sheriff’s Inmate Labor Program in lieu of 10 days in jail, levied a $1,000 fine, 180 day drivers license suspension, and 18 months unsupervised probation. Restitution is pending a motion from the state.
There is no justice. 16 days jail time really