LAKEPORT— A Clearlake Oaks man involved in a hit-and-run that killed a Nice woman recently appeared at the Lake County Superior Court in Lakeport entering a not guilty plea.
This matter has been set for a settlement/trial readiness conference in May 2023 with the master calendar call set for June 2023.
The jury trial has been set for July 2023.
During the preliminary hearing earlier this month the People called two witnesses to testify and the matter was argued and submitted.
It appeared to the Honorable Judge Thomas M Maddock that the felony violations have been committed and that there is sufficient cause to believe that the defendant, William Len, is guilty thereof. It was ordered that the defendant be held to answer to the charges.
Last month the Court took up the motion to recall the bench warrant that was filed by defense counsel, Thomas G. Feimer, The matter was argued and submitted.
The failure to appear bench warrant was ordered recalled.
It was ordered that the bail forfeiture be set aside and the bond was reinstated.
In February the Court found no good cause for William Len’s non-appearance and ordered the issuance of a bench warrant for his failure to appear with bail set in the amount of $20,000.
In November of last year the defendant, William Len, 48, was present and not in custody for an arraignment hearing, entering a not guilty plea to all counts, denying the special allegations.
During that hearing the Court appointed Thomas G. Feimer as counsel for the defendant.
The defendant has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and hit and run with permanent injury or death.
The charges stem from an incident in June of last year after Amanda Arney was struck and killed by a vehicle after midnight while she walking east on Highway 20, west of Sayre Avenue.
According to CHP, the victim was cast down an embankment, resting near a fence – partially concealed by vegetation.
The victim’s body was located hours later that same morning, where she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The defendant was arrested by California Highway Patrol after a thorough investigation and the execution of search warrants with aid from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
He was booked into the Lake County Jail and has since bailed out and has been released.
The defendant’s outstanding warrant has been recalled.
