Hermiston manslaughter case due in court

By Terry Murry on Wednesday, March 27th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – The woman alleged to have been driving under the influence of intoxicants in a fatal crash on Christmas Day 2023 near Hermiston is scheduled for a pretrial conference Thursday, April 4 at 1:15 p.m. Deputy District Attorney Jameson Hayes says the hearing will be in Judge Jon Lieuallen’s courtroom in Pendleton.

Nine people were injured in the crash and seven of those were children. A 10-year-old child died as a result of the three-car collision on Umatilla River Road. Raileen Erin Cook, 23, was arrested without incident by the Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office on March 20 at a grandparent’s house on a secret indictment issued by a Umatilla County grand jury

In addition to the DUI charge, Cook also is charged with second-degree manslaughter, six counts of third-degree assault, three counts of reckless endangering, and one count of reckless driving. She is in custody at the Umatilla County Jail.

Her bail has been set at $500,000.