◼ Whitmill-Flores hearing continued
EUREKA -- A hearing to pick a date for Anthony Flores and Jason Whitmill's preliminary hearing was continued Tuesday.
Flores, 19, was allegedly racing Jason Bradley Whitmill, 31, at more than 90 mph on State Route 299 near Guintoli Lane on Oct. 6 when Whitmill attempted to pass Flores' vehicle on the right and collided with a Chevrolet Tahoe headed in the same direction.
Debra Quigley, the Tahoe's driver, was seriously injured and her daughter, Nicole, 9, died when the vehicle flipped and collided with a utility pole. Flores fled the scene, but was later arrested after an intense search for his silver-colored late model Ford Mustang.
At Wednesday's hearing, public defender Glenn Brown requested rescheduling the hearing because a great deal of investigation surrounding the collision is ongoing, as well as the analysis of physical evidence.
Brown is representing Whitmill.
Superior Court Judge Bruce Watson granted the defense's request and set the hearing for Dec. 1 at 2 p.m.
After the hearing, District Attorney Paul Gallegos said the ongoing investigation includes retrieving data from the vehicle's “black box,” essentially a computer chip that collects a certain amount of data about the vehicle's movement.
”What we're hoping for is speed,” Gallegos said.
Part of the delay in the investigation of the accident, Gallegos said, is linked to a CHP investigative staff that is stretched thin. Right around the time of the Arcata crash, a Central Valley collision took nine lives and required an extensive investigation, he said.
Flores is facing allegations of vehicular manslaughter, illegal street racing causing an injury and failure to stop for an injury accident. Whitmill is being held for alleged first-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter, DUI and illegal street racing causing an injury.
Both men have pleaded not guilty to all charges and remain in the Humboldt County jail.
Officials are still looking for Jodene Aubrey, a passenger in Flores' Mustang, who allegedly took possession of the car and spray-painted it black.
Jessie Faulkner can be reached at 441-0517 or jfaulkner@times-standard.com.
***
Related:
09
◼ Whitmill and Flores trial date delayed another month 08/04/2009
◼ Whitmill, Flores take District Attorney's deal 12/05/2009
◼ Jury selection begins in trial of Whitmill, Flores 11/23/2009
◼ Whitmill, Flores trial to proceed 11/10/2009
◼ Motion denied to suppress blood sample in Whitmill case 11/06/2009
◼ Whitmill faces murder charge for alleged role in crash 10/15/2008
◼ Quigley family, friends remember 9-year-old Nicole 10/06/09
◼ Nearly one year ago 10/01/2009
◼ Case surrounding fatal crash on Highway 299 delayed 09/15/2009
◼ Too many delays 9/10/09
◼ Legal maneuvers slow case of men charged in 9-year-old's death 09/01/2009
◼ Whitmill and Flores trial date delayed another month 08/04/2009
◼ Evidence, charges unchanged against Whitmill 07/17/2009
◼ Evidence for second degree murder charge? 06/19/2009
◼ Thinking of the Quigleys 05/29/2009
◼ Remember Nicole 05/08/2009
◼ Looking forward: Quigley family watches and waits as case continues 05/17/2009
◼ Defendants in 299 wreck plead not guilty 03/28/2009
◼ Judge holds Whitmill, Flores to answer for 299 wreck 03/14/2009
◼ Wife refuses to testify against husband at preliminary hearing 03/13/2009
◼ Investigator testifies suspect in fatal crash changed story 03/12/2009
◼ Officer testifies about 299 crash at prelim 03/11/2009
◼ Preliminary hearing over Highway 299 wreck continues 03/10/2009
◼ Superior Court delays hearing in 299 crash case 02/11/2009
◼ Broken system 01/23/2009
08
◼ Hug your children 12/03/2008
◼ Vehicular manslaughter suspect has extensive criminal history 11/13/2008
◼ Whitmill-Flores hearing continued 11/06/2008
◼ Street race case waiting on CHP reports 10/23/2008
◼ Authorities seek Mustang passenger for questioning 10/17/2008
◼ Court document: Flores tried to 'subvert' investigation 10/16/08
◼ Whitmill faces murder charge for alleged role in crash 10/15/2008
◼ Authorities arrest driver of Mustang 10/10/2008
◼ New driver named in fatal collision 10/09/2008
◼ Search continues for other driver in fatal crash 10/08/2008
◼ ER Parolee named as driver in fatal collision
◼ TS New driver identified in fatal crash
◼ TS New driver named in fatal collision
TS Update: ☛ TS Police still looking for driver
◼ TS Driver sought: Suspected drag race on 299 results in fatal crash
Note: there were other articles in the Eureka reporter, but none are available online anymore.
