By Paul Daquilante • Staff Writer • 

McCready found guilty of all charges

Rockne Roll / News-Register##Timothy McCready, right, reacts to testimony from Steve Livasy Wednesday during his manslaughter trial  in the Yamhill County Courthouse.
Rockne Roll / News-Register##Timothy McCready, right, reacts to testimony from Steve Livasy Wednesday during his manslaughter trial in the Yamhill County Courthouse.
Oregon State Police photo##This was the scene following the two-vehicle crash June 24, 2016 just west of Sheridan on Highway 18B. A Sheridan man, driving the car in the foreground, was killed and three others were injured, including his sister.
Oregon State Police photo##This was the scene following the two-vehicle crash June 24, 2016 just west of Sheridan on Highway 18B. A Sheridan man, driving the car in the foreground, was killed and three others were injured, including his sister.
Rockne Roll/News-Register##Timothy McCready of Sheridan confers with his attorney, Mark Lawrence of McMinnville, during his manslaughter trial Wednesday in Yamhill County Circuit Court.
Rockne Roll/News-Register##Timothy McCready of Sheridan confers with his attorney, Mark Lawrence of McMinnville, during his manslaughter trial Wednesday in Yamhill County Circuit Court.

UPDATE: Friday, Feb. 16:

Timothy McCready was found guilty of all charges by Judge Ronald Stone as his manslaughter trial wrapped up late Thursday afternoon in Yamhill County Circuit Court.

After McMinnville attorney Mark Lawrence presented his case, calling McCready to the witness stand, the defense rested.

In addition to McCready, forensic engineering consultant Franklin Wong and NW Natural employee Les Young, who testified earlier, took the stand for the defense on the final day of the trial.

The state called Oregon State Police trooper William Bush, the agency's Region 1 collision reconstructionist who reviewed trooper Bridget Taylor's reconstruction report. She patrols out of the McMinnville office.

With all testimony having concluded, Deputy District Attorney Amanda Dresen and Lawrence presented their final arguments.

When they finished, Stone took less than a half hour to return a guilty verdict on the 11 charges.

He ordered the 44-year-old McCready, a Sheridan resident, to be taken into custody and lodged in jail without bail while awaiting sentencing at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23. It is scheduled to last one hour.

See Friday News-Register for full details.

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UPDATE: Wednesday, Feb. 14:

The state rested Wednesday morning in the Timothy McCready manslaughter trial that finished its third day in Yamhill County Circuit Court.

Defense attorney Mark Lawrence of McMinnville made a motion for the judgment of acquittal on several of the charges, including first-degree manslaughter, based on several factors that centered on witness testimony. Judge Ronald Stone denied the motion.

Lawrence then called Oregon State Police trooper Bridget Kiger, a crash reconstructionist, to the witness stand. She testified earlier for the state.

He then requested that he be allowed to call on an expert witness in the area of braking. Stone said he wanted to hear the testimony, so the trial was recessed until 1:30 p.m. Thursday.

Dr. Frederic Cole, a trauma surgeon at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland; Dr. Michael Barr, an emergency room physician at Salem Hospital, and Sheridan resident Steve Livasy, a passenger in McCready's car at the time of the crash, testified for the state Wednesday.

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UPDATE: Wednesday, Feb. 14:

The Timothy McCready manslaughter trial wrapped up its second day Tuesday in Yamhill County Circuit Court.

Judge Ronald Stone is presiding over the bench trial (no jury). It could finish today.

Oregon State Police trooper Bridget Kiger, a crash reconstructionist, Yamhill County Sheriff's Office deputy Nathan Skaer, former Sheridan Fire District medic Shane O'Connell, sheriff's deputy Steve Wilkinson, Willamette Valley Medical Center emergency room physician Dr. Brett Johnson, Newberg-Dundee police officer Ryan Simmons and OSP Crime Lab toxicologist Michael Jackson testified Tuesday for the state.

See Friday's print edition for full details.

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Timothy McCready's manslaughter trial began Monday afternoon in Yamhill County Circuit Court.

The 44-year-old McCready was indicted by a grand jury on one count each of first-degree manslaughter, driving under the influence of intoxicants and reckless driving, along with two counts of second-degree assault and seven counts of recklessly endangering another person, one of which was dismissed leading up to the trial.

McCready was charged in connection with a June 24, 2016 two-vehicle crash between Sheridan and Willamina on Highway 18B.

A Sheridan man was killed and three others were injured, including McCready.

First-degree manslaughter is a Class A felony and second-degree assault a Class B felony. The other charges are Class A misdemeanors.

All three felony counts fall under Measure 11’s mandatory-minimum sentencing guidelines.

McCready is represented by McMinnville attorney Mark Lawrence. Deputy District Attorney Amanda Dresen is prosecuting the case.

Dresen, as part of her opening statement, and the Oregon State Police gave this account of the crash:

About 7 p.m., McCready’s eastbound 2001 Hyundai Elantra was allegedly passing (two) vehicles recklessly on the two-lane business route

"He flew by them at a high rate of speed, on a corner and a double yellow (no passing section)," Dresen said.

In the area just west of Rock Creek Road, where a "Welcome to Sheridan" sign is visible, the Hyundai collided with a westbound 2001 Hyundai Accent and both cars came to rest in the highway.

The Accent driver, Phil Watkins, then 61, of Sheridan, was transported by air ambulance to Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland. He died Aug. 6 of that year.

He died of respiratory issues, according to Dresen, who said he would not have been able to speak again had he survived.

McCready was initially transported by ground ambulance to the Willamette Valley Medical Center, then transferred to Legacy Emanuel for what were considered life-threatening injuries.

Accent passenger Kim Watkins,then 59, and Phil's sister, and Elantra passenger Steven Livasy, then 30, were also hospitalized for treatment.

"She suffered lifetime altering injuries," Dresen said. "She's still in a wheelchair and is in constant pain."

Dresen said Livasy suffered hand and leg injuries.

He told  told investigators that McCready had been driving intoxicated all day, according to the district attorney's office.

"His BAC (blood alcohol content) was .322," Dresen said. The presumed level of intoxication in Oregon is .08.

Lawrence declined to make an opening statement.

Les Young, a NW Natural employee, Amber Yates of Willamina, Sheridan resident Erica Bedwell and Oregon State Police trooper Bridget Kiger testified Monday for the state.

The trial was scheduled to resme at 9 a.m. Tuesday, with Kiger expected to return to the witness stand first.

 

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