BOISE, Idaho — A driver has been charged in the deaths of a Boise couple, nearly five months after his SUV collided with the pair as they walked across Milwaukee Street.
Christopher Lammey, 35, faces two misdemeanor charges of vehicular manslaughter in the case. The charges allege that Lammey was driving in an "inattentive, careless or imprudent" manner when his SUV struck 89-year-old Bob Goar and 87-year-old Florence Goar.
But prosecutors found that Lammey's actions behind the wheel do not amount to "gross negligence," which would have bumped the charges up to a felony level.
Misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter is punishable by up to a year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
The crash that claimed the Goars' lives happened minutes before 5 p.m. Feb. 27 at the intersection of Milwaukee and Northview streets. Lammey was turning left across traffic onto Milwaukee when he slammed into the couple, who were in a crosswalk.
The injured pedestrians were rushed by ambulance to a local hospital, where Florence Goar died that night. Bob Goar hung on for more than a week, but ultimately succumbed to his injuries nine days after his wife.
Relatives told KTVB the Goars had been married for 60 years and "never wanted to be apart." The couple doted on their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and could often be seen strolling arm-in-arm around their neighborhood, according to their family.
The charges against Lammey were filed Tuesday after Boise Police completed their investigation into the wreck and forwarded reports on to prosecutors.
Court records show Lammey has had a handful of driving-related citations, including for tailgating in 2018, running a stop sign in 2008, inattentive driving in 2003, speeding in 2002, and tailgating again in 2002.
A court date in the manslaughter case has not yet been set.