More time needed for sentencing in fatality

COEUR d’ALENE — Today’s sentencing hearing for a Coeur d’Alene man who pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated DUI after a crash on the interstate that killed the teenage son of a Kootenai County Sheriff’s sergeant was reset.

William E. Swan, 45, who was initially charged with manslaughter, was supposed to be sentenced today — a day after a public commemoration for 16-year-old Jacob Leeder. The teen died in the Dec. 29, 2017, crash. The hearing, however, has been rescheduled for Jan. 10 in Coeur d’Alene’s First District Court.

Prosecutors on Monday said a report generated by a presentence investigation, which the court uses as a sentencing recommendation, had not been received by attorneys, prompting the continuance.

In exchange for dismissing the involuntary manslaughter charge against him, Swan pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI and for not having a driver’s license when he crashed on Interstate 90 in Coeur d’Alene.

The plea bargain calls for a seven-year prison term, which would be suspended and Swan would be placed on supervised probation for two years. He would be regularly tested at his expense for alcohol or drug use.

Swan last year was accused of driving east at 10:30 p.m. on I-90 in a gold 2000 Chevy Silverado when he T-boned a green 1995 Acura that was stalled on the slushy road near the Fourth Street exit.

The crash killed Jacob Leeder, the passenger of the Acura, which was driven by his brother, Jonah Z. Leeder, 20, of Coeur d’Alene.

The juvenile was pronounced dead at the scene, police said, and his older brother was transported from Kootenai Health to Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane before being moved to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Following the crash, Idaho State Police attempted to get a breath sample from Swan, but he refused, according to court records.

Swan was charged with felony manslaughter, felony DUI, possessing drug paraphernalia and driving without privileges. His bond was set at $200,000.

Swan was wanted for a misdemeanor in Washington at the time of the crash, according to court records.

Prosecutor Stan Mortensen said the presentence investigation is a vital piece in the sentencing process.

“In a case like this, both sides, and the court, not only want the benefit of the PSI before proceeding to sentencing, but we all also want more than a few days to read and process what it contains,” Mortensen said.

The Jan. 10 hearing is set at 11:30 a.m. before District Judge Scott Wayman.