Manslaughter trial to start Monday

SANDPOINT — The trial of a Spirit Lake man accused of accidentally killing a pedestrian with his pickup truck is scheduled to get under way on Monday.

Paul James Cavanaugh is charged with felony counts of vehicular manslaughter and leaving the scene of an injury crash. The trial is scheduled to last three days.

Cavanaugh, 44, is accused of hitting 18-year-old Sarah Marie Jones as she walked westbound on Blanchard Cutoff Road on March 10. The collision was reportedly witnessed by Jones' boyfriend, who happened to be walking to meet her on the roadside in southwestern Bonner County. Jones, a well-known graduate of Priest River Lamanna High School, died from her injuries the following day.

Cavanaugh allegedly left the scene as people in the neighborhood emerged from their homes after hearing the commotion. Cavanaugh, court documents state, called to report the crash a number of hours after it happened, saying he believed he might have hit somebody who was walking in the road.

Jones' boyfriend insists he and Jones were both walking beside the road, well away from traffic, according to police reports.

Cavanaugh was initially jailed on suspicion drunken driving resulting in injuries, but the charge was upgraded to manslaughter upon the death of Jones.