looking for clues to Crawford’s death.
(Photo © J. Maus)
In the early morning hours of November 4th, 2009, Portland musician Kipp Crawford, 39, was hit and killed by two separate drunk drivers. Last night The Oregonian reported that after over a year, Crawford’s parents have finally gotten some closure in the form of legal action in their son’s death.
According to The Oregonian, one of the people who ran over Crawford, Felisa Larae Washington, plead guilty to DUII in a Multnomah County court yesterday and was sentenced to 15 days in jail, three years of probation, and a $1,000 fine.
This case has been mired in mystery ever since that fateful night just over one year ago. According to the police, Crawford was assaulted while walking or riding (it’s not clear which) his bicycle on N. Willamette Blvd near University of Portland. Witnesses recalled hearing some sort of argument. Investigators suspect Crawford was jumped and then thrown into the road where he was then hit by two separate cars (both drivers were charged with DUII).
Here’s a snip from The Oregonian:
“Deputy district attorney Heidi Moawad said she spent months trying to find a way to prosecute the drivers for more serious charges, but evidence problems convinced her she would not be successful. Investigators are not sure who ran over Crawford first. And it’s unclear who actually caused his death — the robber who assaulted him, the first driver to strike him or the second driver who followed.”
In February of this year, the Portland Police Bureau officially ruled the case a homicide and offered a reward for clues leading to arrest of a suspect.
See all our coverage of the Kipp Crawford case here and read a full report on yesterday’s court hearing in The Oregonian.