Pickup driver accused of striking motorcyclist was intoxicated, investigators say

A 32-year-old Yelm man appeared in court Monday and will likely be charged with vehicular homicide following the Saturday night death of a 34-year-old motorcyclist.

Jaron Middleton, of Yelm, was identified Monday as the motorcyclist who was struck by a truck and killed near Rainier Saturday night, according to Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock.

The driver who allegedly struck him, Samuel A. Everly, appeared Monday before Thurston County Superior Court Commissioner Nathan Kortokrax. The commissioner found probable cause to charge Everly with vehicular homicide.

He set bail at $125,000.

Deputy Prosecutor Craig Juris said that while Everly has no criminal history, the allegations are “extraordinarily serious.” He also said that he didn’t believe Everly was taking the matter seriously, based on comments he said Everly made while waiting for his blood alcohol content to be tested.

“He was more concerned about how the process was affecting him — he was commenting on how stupid the process was,” Juris said.

The test results showed Everly was driving under the influence of alcohol Saturday night when he struck Middleton on 148th Avenue Southeast, near the intersection with Solberg Road Southeast, the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office reports.

The incident occurred at about 10:15 p.m. Middleton was traveling west on his motorcycle, and Everly was traveling east in a pickup truck when the truck entered oncoming traffic and struck Middleton, the Sheriff’s Office reports.

Middleton died at the scene.

When deputies arrived, they noted that Everly smelled strongly of alcohol, and that he was swaying. He told them that he “had a few drinks,” according to court documents.

A search warrant was obtained and the man’s blood was drawn at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Sgt. Carla Carter said. Investigators confirmed that Everly had been driving under the influence of alcohol, and he was booked into the Thurston County jail.

This story was originally published October 30, 2017 at 11:13 AM with the headline "Pickup driver accused of striking motorcyclist was intoxicated, investigators say."