State Of Washington v. Andrew Forrest

CourtCourt of Appeals of Washington
DecidedMarch 17, 2020
Docket50474-0
StatusUnpublished

This text of State Of Washington v. Andrew Forrest (State Of Washington v. Andrew Forrest) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Washington primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
State Of Washington v. Andrew Forrest, (Wash. Ct. App. 2020).

Opinion

Filed Washington State Court of Appeals Division Two

March 17, 2020

IN THE COURT OF APPEALS OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON

DIVISION II STATE OF WASHINGTON, No. 50474-0-II

Respondent,

v.

ANDREW RAYMOND FORREST, UNPUBLISHED OPINION

Appellant.

MELNICK, J. — This case stems from an accident where Andrew Forrest’s vehicle struck a

motorcycle driven by Jared Knight, causing Knight to sustain life-ending injuries. The jury found

Forrest guilty of two counts of vehicular homicide. Count one is based on the jury’s finding that

Forrest was driving his vehicle in a reckless manner (RCW 46.61.520(1)(b)) and count two is

based on the jury’s finding that Forrest was driving his vehicle with disregard for the safety of

others (RCW 46.61.520(1)(c)). Forrest appeals, alleging (1) ineffective assistance of counsel, (2)

prosecutorial misconduct, (3) cumulative error, (4) improper forfeiture, and (5) double jeopardy

violation for the two counts of vehicular homicide. In his statement of additional grounds for

review (SAG), Forrest also alleges ineffective assistance of counsel, prosecutorial misconduct, and

double jeopardy violation. And in his supplemental brief, Forrest alleges the sentencing court

improperly imposed a $200 filing fee as part of his legal financial obligations (LFOs). 50474-0-II

The State concedes error on both the double jeopardy and LFO issues. We accept the

State’s concessions, and remand for the trial court to amend the judgment and sentence to vacate

count two of vehicular homicide, correct the forfeiture section, and strike the criminal filing fee;

we affirm all other aspects of Forrest’s conviction.

FACTS

While driving on Highway 3 near Silverdale, multiple witnesses observed a motorcycle,

driven by Knight travelling in the left lane. Witnesses observed two sports cars quickly approach

from the rear. Forrest drove one of the cars, a Dodge Stealth. The other driver is unknown. The

two cars were “kind of jockeying for position and trying to pass.” 2 Report of Proceedings (RP)

at 152.

They passed the witnesses’ vehicles at a “very high rate of speed.” 2 RP at 152. The two

vehicles then closed in on the motorcycle. They moved into the right lane to pass the motorcycle.

The motorcycle and two vehicles then went around a curve and the witnesses could not see them.

One of the witnesses heard an engine revving and thought it was the motorcycle’s; the witness

then turned the corner and saw sparks as the motorcycle was spinning across the roadway. Knight

was airlifted to the hospital where he later died from injuries received in the accident.

Forrest stopped at the accident; the other driver did not. Forrest told the investigating

officer that after he passed the motorcycle, he moved back into the motorcycle’s lane. The

motorcycle then sped up and hit the back of Forrest’s vehicle.

The State charged Forrest with two counts of vehicle homicide: count one was based on

reckless driving and count two was based on driving in disregard to the safety of others.

2 50474-0-II

During trial, John Huntington, a senior investigator analyst for the Attorney General’s

Office’s Environmental Crime Section, testified to his investigation results of the accident.

Huntington did not think Knight ran into Forrest’s bumper from behind because there was no

damage to the back of Forrest’s car and there was a large gouge on the side of one of Forrest’s

car’s tires. These facts would be inconsistent with a rear-end collision caused by Knight.

Washington State Patrol Trooper Alisha Gruszewski also testified. When asked why she

was at the scene, she stated that she was responding to “a report of racing vehicles.” 4 RP at 350.

The State also offered exhibit 47, which is a photograph of what you see when looking in Forrest’s

vehicle’s side view mirror. Forrest did not object.

Washington State Patrol Detective Rodney Green testified that while investigating the

accident he observed a long straight skid mark caused by Knight’s braking. Green opined that this

skid mark was inconsistent with Forrest’s claim that Knight sped up and hit the back of Forrest’s

vehicle; he also opined that Knight would have been able to stop in an upright position if he had

not been hit from the side.

Regarding the mystery driver, Green testified that police attempted to locate the driver

without success and that he suspected Forrest knew the driver. He based his suspicion on several

factors, including that Forrest was part of a car club and that sports car owners tend to be in the

same car clubs like a club for “the Fast-and-the-Furious-type cars.” 5 RP at 512. Green continued

by testifying that there are many different types of car clubs and that he looked for “[s]ouped up

cars. That kind of culture” during his investigation. 5 RP at 513.

3 50474-0-II

Green testified that based on his investigation, Forrest ran into Knight from the side as

Forrest made an “evasive lane [change].” 5 RP at 572. Green testified that the engine revving

sound that one of the witnesses testified to could have been one of the other vehicles or could have

been the motorcycle going down and the motorcycle’s throttle being partially stuck open.

Green also testified that he believed he had probable cause to arrest Forrest based on the

witnesses’ accounts of what happened. Green testified that he concluded that the witnesses’

statements supported the idea that Forrest had been driving with disregard for the safety of others

and had been driving recklessly. Defense Counsel did not object.

In his defense, Forrest called one witness, Steve Harbinson, an accident reconstruction

expert. Harbinson concluded that Knight suddenly accelerated at the same time that Forrest

changed lanes, causing his motorcycle to hit Forrest’s car. Harbinson concluded that Green had

underestimated the motorcycle’s speed because he used the wrong formula for Forrest’s lane

change.

During closing remarks, the State argued “[Forrest] does not get to shrug his shoulders and

point the blame at [Knight]. Outrageous. He does not get to do that. He has to be held accountable

for the choices that he made. The choice he made to completely ignore the risk to [Knight] on the

road that night.” 6 RP at 803-04. Defense counsel did not object.

Defense counsel did not propose a jury instruction that conduct is not the proximate cause

of death if death is caused by a superseding, intervening event.

The jury found Forrest guilty of both counts of vehicular homicide. During sentencing, the

court stated, “First of all, we need to explain some things . . . it is only one count that is being

convicted—or being sentenced today because there was one crime that occurred under two

alternative theories, but the two alternative theories moved together for one count as was being

4 50474-0-II

convicted . . . as a sentence is concerned being carried forward, which is the reckless manner,

which is Count I.” RP (May 26, 2017) at 32-33. However, on the judgment and sentence the court

listed both counts of vehicular homicide under “Current Offense(s).” Clerk’s Papers (CP) at 97.

Based on an offender score of 0, the court sentenced Forrest to 26 months for count one.

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