Daniel Berry makes an appearance in Clark County Superior Court July 26 on a charge of vehicular homicide.
The suspect in the death of a Ridgefield motorcyclist in south Battle Ground earlier this month has been arrested.
On July 22 Daniel Berry, 33, of Vancouver, was charged with one count of vehicular homicide after his car collided with a motorcycle operated by John Christianson, 58, of Ridgefield around 8 a.m. July 8. Christianson received life-threatening injuries from the collision, eventually dying of those injuries at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center later that week.
According to a probable cause affidavit for Berry’s arrest, a witness stated that Christianson was the first in line at the light in the eastbound lane of Southwest Eaton Boulevard/Northeast 199th Street, with the motorcyclist passing through the intersection when the light changed green at a “gradual acceleration.” The witness had been behind Christianson since Northeast 50th Avenue, commenting the motorcyclist was driving “perfectly fine.”
Another witness in the northbound left turn lane of State Route 503 said that Berry “passed in a flash” and may have run the red light at the posted speed of 55 mph, according to the affidavit. Both witnesses did not believe Berry attempted to slow down while passing through the red light.
A third witness who was following Berry going northbound described the vehicle as “severely weaving” while driving, according to the affidavit. That witness stated the intersection light had been red for more than five seconds when Berry ran it.
Berry said in an interview with police that he had left a friend’s house in Vancouver between 7:30 and 8 a.m., heading to his residence in Yacolt. He denied drinking alcohol or doing drugs prior to the crash, saying he had been clean for several months. He also stated that the light was green when he passed through the intersection.
Given the testimony from witnesses that Berry was driving in a reckless manner, he received the vehicular homicide charge.
