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VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) — A southwest Washington man accused of causing multiple injury collisions on Interstate 205, then driving away, has been ordered held on $200,000 bail while one of the injured has been moved to hospice care.
The critically injured man had stopped to help another driver.
Joshua Frahm, 28, of Vancouver, appeared in Superior Court on Thursday and was told he didn't qualify for a court-appointed lawyer because of his income, The Columbian reported (http://is.gd/t6n4kG). He has been arrested for investigation of vehicular assault, felony hit-and-run and filing a false report.
After the Dec. 7 crash, Frahm reported his pickup truck as stolen, "when there is surveillance video that seems to refute that," Deputy Prosecutor Dan Gasperino said.
Frahm's arraignment is set for Dec. 31.
Richard Irvine, 63, of Camas, was struck by a minivan after he stopped to help an injured victim of the initial crash, officials said.
Irvine's wife, Debby, said Thursday that her husband has been moved to hospice care. The man he stopped to help has since been released from a hospital.
"Sadly, Rich has not improved since the accident," Debby Irvine said in a statement. "His medical team has helped us to understand that Richard will not recover from these injuries."
Court papers say Frahm was driving erratically on northbound I-205 just before 6 a.m. on Dec. 7 when his white Ford pickup collided with the rear end of a Honda CRV. Gasperino alleges that Frahm fled the crash scene.
The CRV driver suffered serious injuries, including a fractured left leg, Gasperino said. Irvine apparently saw the crash and stopped to help that driver.
While Irvine was calling 911, a minivan collided with the passenger side of the CRV, which was blocking part of the roadway. The CRV was pushed into Irvine.
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Information from: The Columbian, http://www.columbian.com
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