No charges will be filed in Rogue River girl's death - News - MailTribune.com - Medford, OR

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No charges will be filed in Rogue River girl's death Meadow Boyd Thursday Feb 15, 2018 at 2:00 PM Feb 15, 2018 at 4:23 PM Local report No charges will be filed against the driver who struck and killed a 13-year-old Rogue River girl who was standing alongside the road waiting for a bus in October 2017. The Jackson County District Attorney's Office announced today it would not pursue charges against Kenneth Lynn Anderson, 78, of Arizona, after reviewing evidence collected by multiple police agencies, according to a media release. "There is insufficient evidence to support proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Kenneth Lynn Anderson ... acted in a reckless or criminally negligent manner or that he knew that the collision had occurred," the release said. Meadow Boyd was found dead beside East Evans Creek Road at about 7:30 a.m. Oct. 30. Passing motorists rendered aid to Boyd until emergency personnel arrived. Investigators believe Anderson struck the girl as she leaned out into the road to signal the bus, which previously had failed to pick her up. Anderson believed he had hit a garbage can until he later learned of Boyd's death, the release said. Anderson had come to the area to do some seasonal work at a cannabis farm, Deputy District Attorney Nick Geil said. It was dark and foggy that morning, and garbage cans lined the roadway because it was a garbage collection day. Meadow was slightly taller than the cans, the release said. Investigators believe Boyd was struck between 7:03 and 7:08 a.m. Her father had waited with her for the bus that morning, and left for work when he saw the bus coming. The bus was traveling southbound toward Rogue River. Anderson, traveling northbound in a full-sized pickup, was likely blinded by the lights from oncoming vehicles or the bus, investigators believe. When he slowed, he felt something strike his vehicle. His truck had a camper in the bed with four jack stands, one on each corner, which hung down and protruded about six inches to a foot from the side of the truck. When Anderson came forward to say he may have been the one who struck Boyd, he was "extremely distraught and in tears" when he went to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, the release said. Anderson denied using intoxicants or being on his cellphone. Video recovered by detectives from that day showed Anderson in Grants Pass immediately prior to the collision and also showed him arriving at work right after the collision. He did not appear to be intoxicated, and an investigation showed he was not on his phone when Meadow was hit. The investigation found fibers from Boyd's clothing on the front passenger side jack stand on the camper, which is what struck Boyd. "It was determined that Mr. Anderson was not intoxicated or distracted, and that speed was not a factor in Meadow's death. It was also determined that Mr. Anderson did not know that he had struck Meadow," the D.A.'s Office said in the release. "The events of that day were a terrible tragedy. However, they do not rise to the level of criminal conduct," the release said.