Hearing reset in crash case

SANDPOINT — A preliminary hearing was postponed again for a Bonner County woman accused of leaving the scene of a collision in which a Post Falls motorcyclist was killed.

Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Roger Hanlon told the court he was unable to proceed in the case because the crash investigation and reconstruction being conducted by Idaho State Police is still under way.

“I want to have that complete so I know how to proceed,” Hanlon told Judge Debra Heise.

Knapp, 28, is currently charged with leaving the scene of an injury crash, a felony. However, Hanlon said during the hearing that the investigation and crash reconstruction could lead to the filing of a more apt charge.

Hanlon did not specify in court what other charges may apply in the case and he has an ironclad policy against commenting to the media on a pending case.

Heise was prepared to reset the hearing for next month, although Knapp’s counsel, Deputy Public Defender Dan Taylor, urged for a closer date setting because of an unspecified personal matter that his client needs to attend to.

Heise ultimately reset the hearing for Sept. 19 and advised Knapp that if the state was unable to proceed at that time, she could dismiss the case without prejudice. However, such a dismissal would enable the state to re-file a criminal charge.

Knapp is free on her own recognizance while the case is pending. If the case is dismissed and re-filed, Heise said she would recommend the issuance of a summons rather than an arrest warrant.

Knapp is charged in connection with a crash on Highway 200 near Clark Fork on July 25.

Idaho State Police said Kurt Henson, 47, was riding westbound on Harley-Davidson when he struck an abrupt lane edge in a construction zone and crashed. Knapp was also westbound in a Dodge pickup and crashed into Henson and the motorcycle moments later, state police said.

A passenger on the Harley, 43-year-old Kimberly Lenox, survived the crash. Both Henson and Lenox are from Post Falls.

Knapp allegedly drove away from the scene, but broke down not far away and was given a ride back to Clark Fork by another motorist, a state police report said. She contacted authorities the next day and was arrested but later released.

Henson was a well-regarded and experienced motorcyclist who was employed by the Spokane Police Department, according to published media accounts.