Sherwood man in court on Hwy. 20 DUII crash that killed 2-year-old girl
A Sherwood man made his first court appearance Monday on manslaughter, DUII and assault charges after he lost control of his pickup on a curve Sunday on U.S. Highway 20 west of Tumalo and crossed the center line, colliding with two cars and killing a 2-year-old Bend girl.
David William Fincher, 45, who was taken to the Deschutes County Jail in Bend and was arraign Monday afternoon in Deschutes County Circuit Court, said OSP Sgt. Kyle Hove.
Online court records showed Fincher was charged with first-degree manslaughter, DUII (alcohol) and five counts of third-degree assault (DUII).
Fincher didn’t enter a plea Monday afternoon in his initial appearance by video from the jail. He is scheduled to be back in court on Sept. 19.
Earlier court records for Fincher out of Multnomah, Clackamas and Yamhill counties show mostly parking tickets, except for one infraction and two violations of the basic speed rule, in 1998 and 2000.
Troopers and emergency personnel responded around 9:30 a.m. Sunday to the reported multiple-vehicle crash on Highway 20 near milepost 12.5, about two miles west of Tumalo.
A preliminary investigation found that Fincher was heading east at the wheel of a black 2000 Toyota Tacoma pickup when he lost control on a curve and crossed into the oncoming lane, Hove said.
The pickup struck two westbound cars – a gray 2014 Volkswagen Jetta driven by Sarah Peterson, 37, of Bend, who was accompanied by a 2-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, and a gray 2016 Dodge Charger driven by Alexander Perkins, 28, with passenger Ashley Perkins, 27, both of Bend.
The 2-year-old girl suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, Hove said. Hove said the other occupants were taken to St. Charles Bend for treatment of their injuries. A hospital spokeswoman said Monday that Peterson and Ashley Perkins were treated and released.
The crash closed Highway 20 for about three hours. One lane was opened for alternating traffic for another two hours until both lanes were reopened.
OSP is seeking public assistance for other witnesses or people with information. Hove said it’s believed a bicyclist just west of the crash scene was nearly struck by Fincher in the moments leading up to the crash.
Anyone who knows the bicyclist’s identity or has other information is asked to contact OSP Senior Trooper Jason Hanson at 541-388-6213 or the OSP Northern Command Center at 503-375-3555 (reference OSP case No. SP16308856).
OSP was assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Fire and rescue and ODOT. Hove said more information in the ongoing investigation will be released when available.
