Jury: Driver guilty in motorcyclist's death
ASTORIA, Ore. - A jury unanimously found a Portland man guilty of manslaughter, DUI and other charges for the death last year of a motorcyclist.
Andrew Stuart Church, 35, of Rainier, Ore., died when his motorcycle was hit head-on by a Ford F150 driven by Kenneth Eugene Middleton, 45, on May 30, 2010, east of Astoria.
Middleton was not injured. His 13-year-old daughter was riding with him at the time of the crash.
The jury found Middleton guilty of:
- Manslaughter in the First Degree
- Assault in the Second Degree
- Recklessly Endangering Another Person (3 counts)
- Reckless Driving
- Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants
"Everyone involved in this case, including all of the police agencies, concerned citizens at the scene, and the jury, did an excellent job to ensure that a drunk driver gets what he deserves which is a very long prison sentence in order to protect society," said Clatsop County Deputy District Attorney Ron Brown.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 26, 2011, in Clatsop County Circuit Court.
