Trial postponed in manslaughter case

SANDPOINT — A Louisiana man’s trial for vehicular manslaughter is being pushed back because of ongoing civil proceedings between the alleged victim’s family and the defendant’s former employer.

Taj Patrick Lecompte’s pretrial hearing and jury trial in Bonner County Magistrate Court were reset for November, according to court documents.

Idaho State Police said LeCompte was southbound on U.S. Highway 95 in September of last year when he turned the truck he was driving into the path of a northbound motorcyclist at Bottle Bay Road.

Lawrence “Red” Barber, a 60-year-old from Twin Falls, was gravely injured and died 10 days after the collision at a Seattle hospital.

At the time of the accident, LeCompte was working for Texas-based Railroad Controls Ltd., which was working in the Sagle area. Barber, meanwhile, was in town visiting devotees of the Suzuki Cavalcade, a luxury touring bike.

LeCompte, a 34-year-old from Elton, La., was charged at the misdemeanor level after an ISP investigation ruled out intoxication or reckless driving as factors in the crash.

LeCompte pleaded not guilty. He was to be tried next month, but Chief Deputy Public Defender Janet Whitney and Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Roger Hanlon jointly moved for a continuance on Aug. 24.

The attorneys moved for a 60-day continuance because of civil proceedings between Barber’s family and Railroad Controls in Texas. The state and the defense are awaiting resolution of the matter, according to court documents.

Information about the civil case was not immediately available and searches of online courts databases in Texas and Tarrant County yielded no result on Friday.

LeCompte is free on his own recognizance while the case is pending. His jury trial is set for Nov. 29.