Accused Drunk Driver Released Again
A Spokane man charged with vehicular homicide in a crash that killed an 11-year old boy is out of jail.
According to the Spokane County Jail roster posted online, William Keizer posted bond and was released around 8 p.m. Thursday night. Keizer was arrested and charged earlier this week. Police say he admitted drinking for several hours December 21st before he crashed into a car carrying 11-year old Wyatt Herris and his family.
Herris was killed while his father was hospitalized with injuries.
Keizer was arrested at the scene, but later released from jail because charges hadn’t been filed. Keizer was re-arrested New Year’s Eve and booked on vehicular homicide charges. He pleaded not guilty Wednesday and a judge set his bail at $100,000. Wyatt’s family now says that the judge set the bond too low.
When police brought William Keizer back to jail after prosecutors failed to charge him the first time Erica Williams says she felt a little bit of justice for her son Wyatt.
“Seeing him in that police car, and the look on his face made me feel like there was some part of victory coming,” she said.
She said her victory turned to defeat when a judge lowered Keizer’s bail from the recommended half million dollars to just $100,000. Keizer bonded out of jail Thursday and Erica Williams said that when that happened her heart sunk.
“What’s left of it … there’s not much there. I said to someone a few nights ago I feel like Humpty Dumpty but I can’t be put back together again,” she said.
In court documents police say Keizer admitted to drinking hard liquor and beer, before crashing his truck into the Jeep Wyatt was riding in. The little boy suffered chest injuries, skull fractures and a broken neck. His mom says he died almost immediately.
As a condition of his bond, Keizer cannot drink alcohol or visit bars. He must undergo drug and alcohol testing during his release. Williams says that’s somewhat reassuring.
“If he’s going to be out he follows the stipulations that the court has given him,” she said, adding that she believes that Keizer never should have been released in the first place.
“What made me even more angry is that he plead not guilty. He admitted to doing this and then he plead not guilty. That’s being a hypocrite.”
Keizer’s trial will get underway late February and in the meantime the community can donate to the Wyatt funeral fund that’s been set up at Wells Fargo Bank. Wyatt’s mother hopes this case serves as yet another tragic reminder that if you drink, don’t drive.
