Man facing manslaughter in hit-run to be in court

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A Multnomah County grand jury handed up a criminal indictment against a 27-year-old man who police concluded  was under the influence of pot when he caused a deadly crash.

Kenneth Britt Smith will appear in court on Monday on a six-count indictment that charges him with first-degree manslaughter, second-degree manslaughter, misdemeanor DUII, reckless driving, hit and run and recklessly endangering another person.

The Dec. 12, 2015 crash killed Martin Greenough, according to police. Officers responded to the intersection of Northeast 42nd and Portland Highway around 8 p.m. to find Greenough on the ground suffering from fatal injuries. Police said Greenough was riding his bike at the time of the crash.

Smith’s vehicle was located near the Quality Inn at Northeast 97th and Sandy, according to prosecutors. Officers with the Portland Police Bureau Major Crash Team responded to the hotel and contacted Smith.

An officer reported smelling a “pungent odor of burnt marijuana coming from the defendant,” senior deputy district attorney Glen Banfield writes in an affidavit.

During a police interview, Smith told officers that he was driving his blue 2000 Ford Crown Victoria when another vehicle swerved toward him, records show. When Smith tried to avoid the vehicle, Smith said he lost control of his car and hit the curb.

When police asked Smith if he had smoked pot, Smith said “yes, at about 2 p.m.,” according to Banfield’s affidavit. The officers concluded that Smith was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash.

Smith was released from the Multnomah County Detention Center on Christmas after a family member posted his bail. When he was arrested, his bail had been set at $300,000. During a hearing on Dec. 23, Judge Michael A. Greenlick lowered the bail to $30,000.

Smith is scheduled to be arraigned on the grand jury’s indictment at 9:30 a.m. on Monday.