Prosecutors Desk 8-16-2015

Last week on August 12, First-degree Murder charges were filed against Sherman K Akina (1-27-96) of Valley, Washington as a result of an incident that occurred in Chewelah early in the morning the previous Sunday. The incident involved a vehicle vs. pedestrian.

Documents filed with the court state that Chewelah police were called to an area on Victoria Street upon the report of a person being hit by a car. The officer arrived on the scene and found the victim lying unresponsive on the ground without signs of life. The officer attended to the victim by providing CPR while trying to get information from the persons present about what had happened. Other law enforcement persons arrived very soon after the initial calls were received. Chewelah Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the State Patrol Criminal Investigation Division and deputies from the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.

The probable cause statement filed with the court alleges that Mr. Akina was driving the vehicle and fled the scene after he hit the victim. A passenger riding with Akina remained on the scene and told officers that when Akina saw the victim, he accelerated to a high speed and drove straight toward the deceased and struck him without attempting to brake or avoid hitting him. He stated that Mr. Akina left the scene in the vehicle.

The document filed in the public record state that Mr. Akina was apprehended within a short time at the Chewelah Casino. He had an odor of alcohol on him when taken into custody. The vehicle was found hidden in a secluded area not far from Chewelah. The vehicle had damage consistent with the events reported by witnesses.

The vehicle was seized and placed in the evidence facility and will be examined by forensic experts from the WSP Crime Laboratory for additional evidence. The Spokane Medical Examiners Office examined the deceased by autopsy. The suspect, and now the defendant, was booked into the Stevens County Jail. His bond has been set at $300,000 and attorney Paul Wasson of Spokane has been appointed to represent him.

It is important to remember that the filing of charges against a suspect is only an accusation. Under our system, a person is presumed to be innocent until and unless he is determined to be guilty by either a plea or trial.

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