by AMANDA WINTERS
Sequim Gazette
A Sequim man died Saturday afternoon at Harborview Medical Center after he was hit by an alleged drunken driver Thursday morning while walking on the sidewalk on East Washington Street.
Gene S. Mensik faces charges of hit-and-run fatality accident, a Class B felony, and vehicular homicide, a Class A felony, in the death of Scott Franklin, Clallam County Deputy Prosecutor John Troberg said.
Mensik was arrested the morning of April 21 after allegedly driving on a sidewalk, critically injuring Franklin and leaving the scene.
According to a probable cause statement, Mensik was seen driving his car in the
600 block of East Washington Street on Thursday around 7:10 a.m.. Witnesses said they heard Mensik’s vehicle speed up and drive onto the sidewalk, striking Franklin.
Franklin was unconscious when medics arrived on the scene; he was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition, police said.
Police interviewed several witnesses and reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby business, which shows Mensik’s Jeep leaving the roadway, straddling the sidewalk and striking Franklin, who didn’t turn or see the car coming.
Mensik continued driving down Washington Street and was spotted by Sequim Police officers as they drove to the scene of the accident, according to the statement.
Officers followed Mensik as he pulled into a parking lot and exited his car. When officers told him to stop he continued walking away, telling them “No,” police said.
Eventually they convinced him to stop and he admitted he had just been in an accident, which was evident by the extensive body and paint damage to the front passenger side of his car, police said.
Mensik smelled of intoxicants and blew a 0.147 in a portable breath tester, police said. The legal limit is 0.08.
Mensik was booked into the Clallam County jail the same day and remains in custody in lieu of $200,000 bail. If released, he must wear an alcohol monitoring device and is prohibited from driving.
Reach Amanda Winters at awinters@sequim gazette.com.
