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Since You Asked: No trial yet in crash that killed bicyclist By Mail Tribune staff Sep 11, 2022 12:15 AM A A I’m trying to find out whatever happened in the criminal case against Lucas Patterson, who was arrested in July of last year in the death of a bicyclist near Phoenix? — John, via phone message Lucas Alan Prescott Patterson, 19, has yet to stand trial on vehicular homicide, hit-and-run and impaired driving charges accusing him in the crash that killed 84-year-old cyclist Sue Solomon Hutchinson of Talent. On the morning of July 3, 2021, Hutchinson was riding her bike on Pioneer Road near Phoenix when Patterson allegedly struck Hutchinson with a vehicle and fled the scene. In March of this year, a grand jury indicted Patterson on felony counts of first- and second-degree manslaughter and failing to perform duties of a driver to an injured person, along with a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence. First-degree manslaughter carries a mandatory 10-year prison sentence, and second-degree manslaughter carries a mandatory six-year, three-month sentence. The first-degree manslaughter charge alleges Patterson caused Hutchinson’s death “under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life,” according to the grand jury’s indictment. The second-degree manslaughter charge alleges Patterson “unlawfully and recklessly” caused Hutchinson’s death. The felony hit-and-run charge accuses Patterson of “knowing and/or having reason to believe that his vehicle was involved in a collision,” failed to stop his vehicle, failed to reasonably investigate what the vehicle struck and failed to remain at the scene of the collision until a police officer could arrive. The misdemeanor impaired driving charge alleges he operated a vehicle while under the influence of “alcohol and/or cannabis or controlled substances.” No trial date has been scheduled, but a pretrial conference is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; or by email to [email protected].