Hearing waived in deadly crash case

SANDPOINT — A Sandpoint woman accused of leaving the scene of a deadly crash last summer waived her right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday.

Brianna Lucille Knapp is scheduled to be arraigned in 1st District Court on Jan. 22. She is charged with a felony count of leaving the scene of the July 24, 2012, crash on Highway 200 near Clark Fork.

Idaho State Police said Kurt P. Henson was riding westbound in a construction zone when he hit an abrupt lane edge, lost control of his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and crashed. Moments later, a westbound Knapp collided with Henson, state police said.

Henson, a 47-year-old from Post Falls and off-duty Spokane Police officer, was killed. His passenger on the Harley, Kimberly Lenox, 43, also of Post Falls, was injured in the crash.

Court documents do not specify which crash — Henson’s or Knapp’s — is considered to be the fatal event. Knapp, however, is not charged with causing or contributing to his death.

Charging papers allege that Knapp knew or had reason to know she was involved in an injury crash, but she failed to remain at or near the scene to provide her driver information or render reasonable assistance, such as calling 911.

State police said Knapp’s badly damaged pickup truck was found later found abandoned farther down the highway. Knapp was given a ride back to Clark Fork by another motorist and reported to the sheriff’s office the following day and was arrested.

Knapp, 28, was charged immediately after the accident, but the case was dismissed because the state police crash investigation had not been completed. The case was re-filed last fall.

If convicted, Knapp faces up to five years in prison, a $5,000 fine and a one-year driver’s license revocation.

Knapp is free on her own recognizance while the case is pending.