Man charged following crash

by Julie GOLDER<br
| May 20, 2009 9:00 PM

BONNERS FERRY — A Coeur d’Alene man accused of fleeing the scene of accident that left his passenger critically injured will have a preliminary hearing at 1:30 p.m. Friday.

Police believe Adam Bodewig, 23, fled to avoid a drunken driving charge, according to court records. Bodewig, who was not immediately located, was charged with felony leaving the scene of an injury accident and misdemeanor reckless driving.

Bodewig lost control of his sport utility vehicle at 11 p.m. May 10 on Highway 95 at Oxford Loop north of Bonners Ferry, according to court records. Bodewig and passengers Zeb Hegel, 23, and Jeff Ferguson, 23, fled, while another passenger, Jason Guffy, 21, of Coeur d’Alene remained unconscious in a ditch.

All were thrown from the vehicle, which rolled several times.

Guffy remains in critical condition on Tuesday at Deaconness Medical Center in Spokane, Wash. He was flown to the hospital for severe head injuries.

According to court records:

The father of Adam Bodewig, 23, contacted police 90 minutes after the crash and said he would bring his son to the sheriff’s office within the next 90 minutes. They never showed

Police made their first contact with Adam Bodewig at Boundary Community Hospital, where he went for an injured arm 14 hours after the crash. Idaho State Police Cpl. Kevin Bennett interviewed Bodewig.

In court records, Bennett claimed Bodewig displayed a disregard for human life, was defiant toward the officer and made no attempt to help his friends.

According to Hegel and Ferguson, the four were returning to their campsite at the Mud Bog in Moyie Springs. Bodewig lost control of his 2002 Cadillac Escalade while changing a compact disc, and overcorrected, causing the vehicle to roll

Hegel and Ferguson stayed in a nearby barn until 4 a.m. They assumed Bodewig and Guffy had fled.

Idaho State police found Hegel and Ferguson walking along Highway 95 at 5 a.m. May 11. Hegel told police Bodewig had been drinking alcohol throughout the day and the entire weekend.

Both Hegel and Ferguson expressed their shame for leaving their friend and accepted responsibility for their actions.