LAKEPORT— A Clearlake Oaks man charged with hit-and-run that killed a Nice woman was present at the Lake County Superior Court in Lakeport for a recent sentencing hearing.
Criminal Defense Attorney Angela Carter informed the court that there was an error filling out the plea form and requested this matter be continued.
The request was granted. The defendant, William Len, was ordered to be personally present at the next scheduled sentencing hearing, which will be Sept. 18, 2023. There has also been a motion filed for the plea to be withdrawn/plea correction.
During a hearing last month there was a request for the matter to be continued by Angela Carter, appearing on behalf of the defendant, William Len, pursuant to PC977 (penal code allowing the defendant to waive his required presence in court).
There was no objection to the request for a continuance.
In April the defendant entered a not guilty plea.
At that time the master calendar call was set for June with the jury trial set for July 2023.
During the preliminary hearing in April the People called two witnesses to testify and the matter was argued and submitted.
It appeared to judge Thomas M Maddock that the felony violations had 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.
In March 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.
