Public angry no charges filed in death of officer
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By JESSE FRUHWIRTH
Standard-Examiner Davis Bureau
FARMINGTON -- The Davis County Attorney's Office received several angry calls Thursday after media revealed that a suspect would not be charged with the death of an officer who crashed his car after joining a high-speed chase.
Davis County Attorney Troy Rawlings said some angry callers misunderstood why William Farris Fisher, 30, of Salt Lake City, could not be charged with the death of North Salt Lake Police officer Charles Skinner, 30.
The officer's vehicle skidded on the slick surface of Highway 89, spun 180 degrees and crashed rear-end first into a pole on Nov. 3. The officer and father of newborn twins never regained consciousness and died days later at the hospital.
Skinner had been chasing Fisher, who police say was driving a vehicle that was reported stolen. Several officers from various agencies pursued the truck Fisher was driving as he wound through southern Davis County, entering and exiting the freeway.
Two sticking points, Rawlings said, made it very difficult to prosecute Fisher for Skinner's death.
"(Skinner) was not officially involved in this pursuit and was not in the proximity of Fisher's vehicle when he crashed," Rawlings said.
Fisher was approximately 1.5 miles from the scene at the time of the crash.
He was anticipating Fisher's path and was intending to form a road block, Rawlings said, but he had not been dispatched officially.
"He heard it on the radio," Rawlings said.
"He was not dispatched to be a part of this chase."
North Salt Lake Police Chief Steve Harder was not available for comment.
Deputy Davis County Attorney Steve Major told the Standard-Examiner on Wednesday that a hypothetical burglar may not be charged with the death of an officer who crashes on his way to the burglarized house.
Had Fisher been closer to Skinner at the time of the crash, perhaps he could be charged in the death, Major said.
Fisher, nevertheless, received several charges connected to the chase, including fleeing and evading, possession of methamphetamine, and identity theft -- all third-degree felonies -- as well as possession of a stolen vehicle and possession of stolen property, both second-degree felonies.
He also faces felony theft charges in the 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City.
Those charges, with accompanying warrants, were filed in October, preceding the chase.
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This is exactly why we need policies in regards to high speed chases put in place.
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