LAKEPORT — The Lake County District Attorney”s Office filed a complaint against Michael James Wright earlier this month, charging him with five misdemeanors in connection with a triple-fatal car crash near Twin Lakes in January. Wright, 50, of Hidden Valley Lake will be arraigned Sept. 11.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) originally reported Wright drove northbound on Highway 29 and lost control of his BMW sedan, which skidded into the opposite lane and struck a Ford SUV on Jan. 14.
The complaint, filed Aug. 10, charged Wright with three misdemeanor counts of gross vehicular manslaughter for the deaths of his passengers: Kari Lynn Marks, 53, Jena Marie Marks, 24, and Patrick Earl Campbell, 27.
Two misdemeanor counts of reckless driving causing specific injury related to the people riding in the other vehicle, Steven and Lezley Beyer.
“The decision was made after full, multiple meetings with every member that we could reach of the families of the deceased and the Beyers themselves, and we discussed all the options. CHP was present and the District Attorney himself was present. It was not a decision we made lightly,” senior deputy district attorney John Langan said Wednesday.
Langan said the two sides are in negotiations and if the case does not resolve, the DA”s Office reserves the right to file felony charges.
Jeremy Walsh is a staff reporter for Lake County Publishing. Reach him at 263-5636, ext. 37 or jwalsh@record-bee.com. Follow him on Twitter, @JeremyDWalsh.
