Idaho Law Blog

SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIDENT SOUTHWEST OF YELLOW PINE, IDAHO

Published on: April 11, 2025 | by Racine Olson

On March 22^nd, a single vehicle travelling north on South Fork Road failed to navigate a curve and crashed. The accident took place at 4:11 a.m. at mile marker 19.

The vehicle, a 2017 Ford F350, was being driven by a 62-year-old man from McCall, and had a 59-year-old female passenger from Donnley. As they traveled, they came upon a curve in the road, and failed to successfully navigate it. The vehicle left the roadway and continued into the woods, where it hit a tree and came to a stop.

The 62-year-old driver succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Reports include that he was not wearing a seat belt at the time. His 59-year-old passenger sustained major injuries and was transported to a local hospital by ground ambulance for treatment. She was wearing a seatbelt at the time.

BICYCLIST FATALLY INJURED AFTER BEING HIT BY TWO VEHICLES ON US20-26

Published on: April 11, 2025 | by Racine Olson

Idaho State Police are continuing to search for information regarding an accident involving a bicyclist and two other vehicles, one of which fled the scene following the collision. The crash occurred in Caldwell, Idaho, at the intersection of the I84 off ramp at mile 26, and US Highway 20-26. This incident took place on Tuesday evening, at 7:03 p.m., on March 18^th, 2025.

At the time of the accident, the 55-year-old male bicyclist was traveling eastbound on US 20-26, when he began to cross the street at the intersection. The first vehicle, which was later identified to be a silver or light grey Acura TL from 2004-2006, was exiting the freeway. The unknown driver failed to stop for the cyclist, and struck him hard, causing him to fall off his bike and land on the ground. The vehicle promptly fled the scene, before emergency services were alerted. Before the cyclist was able to get up and exit the roadway, the second vehicle, a 2013 RAM 2500 driven by a 43-year-old man, also failed to stop for the cyclist, and struck him a second time.

The resulting injuries the cyclist sustained proved to be fatal. He passed away at the scene before emergency services were able to transport him to a hospital. At the time of the accident, he was wearing a helmet. Neither of the two drivers involved sustained any injuries.

FATAL HEAD ON COLISION OUTSIDE OF SAMUELS

Published on: April 11, 2025 | by Racine Olson

Idaho State Police are investigating a collision that occurred on March 14^th, 2025, in Bonner County Idaho. The incident took place on US 95 at mile 487, just before 10 a.m. Two vehicles, a Chevy and a semi-truck, were involved.

At the time of the accident, the 2005 black Chevrolet Silverado, driven by a 48-year-old man from Athol, Idaho, was traveling northbound. As he continued down US 95, he veered over the center line and into the oncoming southbound traffic. Among the southbound traffic was the blue 2024 Freightliner, driven by a 31-year-old man from Calgary, Canada.

The two vehicles collided head on, and the driver of the Chevy did not survive the impact. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time. No report is given detailing the condition of the semi driver.

FATAL HEAD ON COLISION OUTSIDE OF SAMUELS

Published on: April 11, 2025 | by Racine Olson

Idaho State Police are investigating a collision that occurred on March 14^th, 2025, in Bonner County Idaho. The incident took place on US 95 at mile 487, just before 10 a.m. Two vehicles, a Chevy and a semi-truck, were involved.

At the time of the accident, the 2005 black Chevrolet Silverado, driven by a 48-year-old man from Athol, Idaho, was traveling northbound. As he continued down US 95, he veered over the center line and into the oncoming southbound traffic. Among the southbound traffic was the blue 2024 Freightliner, driven by a 31-year-old man from Calgary, Canada.

The two vehicles collided head on, and the driver of the Chevy did not survive the impact. He was not wearing a seatbelt at the time. No report is given detailing the condition of the semi driver.

ACCIDENT IN BENEWAH COUNTY INVOLVNIG A SINGLE VEHICLE WITH TWO PASSENGERS

Published on: April 10, 2025 | by Racine Olson

On March 13^th, a single vehicle traveling west on Lovell Valley Rd left the roadway and crashed. The accident took place at 11:04 p.m., at block 2000.

At the time of the accident, the vehicle, a grey 2018 Toyota Highlander, was traveling westbound. As it traveled, the vehicle veered and left the roadway, before crashing into a nearby ditch then rolling into a forested area, where it came to rest against a tree.

One passenger, a 45-year-old woman from Omak, Washington, passed at the scene. the other passenger, a 32-year-old woman from Plumber, Idaho, was able to contact a local homeowner, who called for help. Upon the arrival of emergency services, the surviving woman was taken to a hospital by air ambulance to receive treatment for her injuries. Neither of these women were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident.

SINGLE VEHICLE ACCIENT RESULTS IN FATALITY IN SANDPOINT IDAHO

Published on: April 10, 2025 | by Racine Olson

Idaho State Police are continuing to investigate a crash that took place in Bonner County between the evening of March 9^th, and the morning of March 10th. The crash involved a single vehicle that was traveling westbound on Colburn Culver Rd.

At the time of the accident the driver of the vehicle, a 43-year-old woman, was traveling towards the intersection of Colburn Culver Rd and US 95 at a high speed. The vehicle was unable to navigate the intersection, and it crossed over US 95, before leaving the roadway and coming to a rest in a pond nearby.

Her vehicle was not found until many hours later, and during that time the driver succumbed to her injuries. Reports include that she was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.

SUCCESSFUL COLLECTIONS ON JUDGMENTS

Published on: April 2, 2025 | by Racine Olson

By Stephen J. Muhonen, Creditor’s Rights Attorney, Racine Olson, PLLP

It has been said that a hole was never dug by leaning on a shovel. Rare is the occasion where desired outcomes and favorable results arise without putting your back into a project and earnestly working towards a focused goal. So it goes with attempting to collect on a judgment. If a judgment debtor does not immediately pay their court ordered money to a judgment creditor, rarer and rarer is the occasion where the judgment debtor voluntarily agrees to pay what is due. Sitting on your hands hoping the debtor will do the right thing and “pay up” often only yields frustration and angst, with the judgment debtor not only NOT paying you, but now also living rent free in your head. Recently, I had some clients who had enough of sitting it out and hoping their judgment would be fortuitously paid. They called me up and we had a discussion about their situations. After an enjoyable chat, we then entered into a fee agreement and together we rolled up our sleeves and went to work. We expended time, effort and energy, and as a result, we recovered $150,000.00 on one judgment, $130,000.00 on a second, and $100,000.00 on a third one. Congratulations to these clients!

The $150,000.00 recovery was on a judgment issued in Colorado in 2023 against an individual and an LLC. The judgment creditor was able to track the judgment debtor to Idaho. With the judgment debtor located, I was retained to domesticate the Colorado judgment here in Idaho and commence collection efforts thereon. After about five to six months of servings writs of execution, obtaining a charging order, completing a debtor’s exam, subpoenaing documents, and pursuing and obtaining contempt order(s), the judgment debtor did indeed finally pay the judgment. The client was willing to and did invest in the process, knowing there were no guarantees as to the outcome. In the end, the work paid off!

CHARGING ORDERS

Published on: March 20, 2025 | by Racine Olson

By Stephen J. Muhonen, Creditor’s Rights Attorney, Racine Olson, PLLP

As a judgment creditor (holder of judgment entered in your favor), perhaps you have experienced the thrill of obtaining the judgment, and the agony of attempting to collect thereon. The judgment debtor (person or entity for which judgment was entered against) refuses to voluntarily pay up and collection efforts seem to have hit a dead end. The judgment has been recorded in the county where the judgment debtor resides, but unfortunately there is no real property to be located that is in the judgment debtor’s name. Garnishment of bank accounts and wages have not been fruitful, and all the judgment debtor’s personal property is either encumbered by a senior lien holder or not worth the expense that would have to be fronted to have the Sheriff seize and sell at auction. I have found that even though I may have exhausted these referenced options and come up with nothing, there is yet another arrow in the “collections quiver” called a “charging order” that can be very helpful.

If the judgment entered is against an individual who is a member of a limited liability company (LLC), Idaho Code §30-25-503 provides judgment creditors another option in their attempts to satisfy their judgment. In sum, this statute provides a mechanism for a judgment creditor to be able to go to the court, seeking the court’s entry of a Charging Order, that essentially tells an LLC to not pay the judgment debtor LLC member their distribution, but rather, to pay it to the judgment creditor. The statute reads in part,

RECKLESS DRIVING ON US 95 CAUSES ACCIDENT

Published on: March 12, 2025 | by Racine Olson

Hayden Idaho- Idaho State Police are continuing to investigate a crash that took place on March 3^rd, 2025. The incident involved two vehicles, a red Honda SUV, and a silver Subaru Legacy.

Preceding the accident, several individuals had reported to emergency personnel that a red Honda was traveling southbound on US 95 at over 100 miles per hour, and that the vehicle had its emergency hazard lights on. As the unknown driver of the Honda came to the intersection of Hayden Ave at milepost 449, they failed to yield to the eastbound traffic, who had the green light. An ISP trooper, who was stopped at the red light heading northbound, witnessed the Honda fly through the intersection, where it T-boned another vehicle. The second vehicle, the Subaru, was traveling through the intersection eastbound.

The Subaru slid and came to rest in the southbound lanes. The Honda was sent over the median and into the northbound lanes, nearly striking the ISP officer, before it rolled and came to rest on a bike path. The ISP officer called back up and both individuals administered medical aid.

FATAL PEDESTRIAN CRASH IN CANYON COUNTY

Published on: March 12, 2025 | by Racine Olson

On Sunday March 2^nd, a single vehicle, driven by a 27-year-old female struck a pedestrian on State Highway 19. At the time of the accident, she was traveling east on SH 19, when she failed to yield to the pedestrian, who was crossing the eastbound lanes.

The accident took place near the intersection of Dixie River Road, just west of Caldwell, Idaho. Reports include that it was roughly 5:54 a.m. when this occurred.

Following this accident, the pedestrian, a 47-year-old woman from Homedale, succumbed to her injuries. The 27-year-old driver of the 2012 Ford Focus was transported to a local hospital to have her injuries assessed.