Mathew Ray John, 41, Inchelium, Wash., was acquitted Thursday by a Spokane County Superior Court jury of a charge of negligent homicide.
John had been charged in a single-count information with having caused the May 29 traffic death of Helen B. Ferguson, 35, also of Inchelium, in a spectacular accident on Interstate 90 in which three persons were killed.
Passengers in the Ferguson vehicle, Lena Laramie, 68, and Mary H. Wong, 65, both of Inchelium area, also died of injuries they suffered in the accident.
John, however, was not charged in connected with their deaths.
Testimony during the four-day trial indicated the Ferguson vehicle, a small compact sedan, collided with John's pickup truck as both vehicles were traveling on the Interstate about 15 miles east of Spokane.
The Ferguson car went out of control and skidded across the gravel median, flipped onto its top and slide a distance before slipping a second time and landing on its wheels.
Defense testimony, however, revealed that the Ferguson vehicle increased its speed and was virtually alongside John's truck when the accident occurred.
Passengers in the truck, Bonnie and David Finley, also Inchelium, testified John was passing another car which had pulled off the road and was "squeezed" between the two vehicles on either side.
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