Chimacum man says he’s not guilty in death of bicyclist

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A Chimacum man accused of the vehicular homicide of a bicyclist riding alongside Highway 20 this summer entered a pleading of “not guilty” during his arraignment Friday in Jefferson County Superior Court.

Gregory C. Lechtenberg, 81, was arrested earlier this month following a Washington State Patrol investigation into the July 5 collision that caused Cummings death.

Lechtenberg was on Highway 20 in a 1996 Dodge Ram pickup that was hauling a trailer when he approached two bicyclists on the side of the road who were also heading north.

Stan Cummings, the former executive director of the Northwest Maritime Center, and his wife were biking toward Port Townsend, a ride they had done along that stretch of highway many times over the past 15 years. 

On the back of Letchenberg’s trailer was a tractor that had a flat tire from a mowing job in Sequim, and Letchenberg had told State Troopers he had been on his way to a friend’s place in Port Townsend to get it fixed.

Investigators found that a large disc mower arm  attached to the tractor was hanging off the right side of the trailer, almost four feet from the passenger side of the vehicle.

Witnesses told investigators the disc mower arm barely missed the head of Sigrid Cummings, but struck Stanley Cummings in the head.

He was taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle due to his injuries, and died a week later.

Letchenberg appeared before Superior Court Judge Keith Harper Friday for a status hearing on the charge of vehicular homicide.

The hearing was brief.

Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecutor Chris Ashcraft recommended that Letchenberg be released on his personal recognizance without bail if three conditions were met.

“Stay in touch with the court; don’t break the law; and show up when ordered,” Ashcraft said.

Harper agreed.

The judge then set Letchenberg’s future court hearings.

A pretrial hearing was scheduled for Feb. 18, and the trial was set for Feb. 28 to March 3.

Vehicular homicide is a felony that can result in a maximum penalty of life in prison and a $50,000 fine upon conviction.