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Ada County prosecutors filed six new federal misdemeanor motor vehicle violations against Gregory Roberts and say they’ve cut a deal with the truck driver who was driving the truck that crashed into and killed Boise residents Jeanette Neill and passenger Roy Valpey on Sept. 27.
Prosecutors says there were holes and kinking on some brake lines and a defective brake on the fifth axle of the truck, a yellow 1997 Peterbuilt tractor-trailer, among other problems.
The deal put off a jury trial that was supposed to begin this month on two misdemeanor counts of vehicular manslaughter.
Instead, a sentencing hearing is set for June 25, even though the 62-year-old Roberts has not yet entered a guilty plea to any of the charges.
Ada County Deputy Prosecutor Ben Harmer said the tentative plea deal won’t be made official until June 25, when is Roberts scheduled to enter a plea in the case and be sentenced the same day.
Neill, 37, and Valpey, 44, were stopped in a construction zone under the Orchard Street overpass on I-84 just after noon Sept. 27 when Roberts’ truck rammed into their Hyundai from behind, smashing the sedan into a semi stopped in front of them, according to Idaho State Police reports.
Neill and Valpey died from their injuries that day. Roberts, who lives in Oklahoma, also was injured in the accident and spent several days recovering at Saint Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.
Ada County prosecutors determined the misdemeanor vehicular charge was appropriate since the accident did not involve a level of gross negligence required for a felony. In other words, prosecutors did not feel Roberts had showed criminal intent in the crash.
Misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter is punishable by up to a year in jail, a fine of up to $2,000, and the suspension of driving privileges - the length of which is up to the judge presiding over the case.
Patrick Orr: 373-6619
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