Plea change sees homicide charge in 2022 4th of July crash

By Terry Murry on Friday, March 29th, 2024 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

PENDLETON – A Yakima man is in Umatilla County Jail after changing his plea in a fatal crash that occurred on July 4, 2022. Jakob Michael Moser was arrested Wednesday at Hermiston Circuit Court.

The Umatilla County District Attorney’s Office said that Moser changed his plea with Judge Christopher Brauer. While Brauer retired from the Sixth Circuit Court, he is now a senior judge for the state of Oregon. A senior judge can take temporary assignments to any court in Oregon.

Moser now faces charges of one count of criminally negligent homicide and one count of driving under the influence of alcohol. A sentencing date has not yet been announced. When Moser crashed and rolled his Subaru Crosstrek, he was seriously injured. His passenger, Christopher Kendrick, 26, of Mountain Home, Idaho died at the scene on Highway 244 approximately 13 miles east of Ukiah.

The responding agency to the crash was the Oregon State Police and the highway was closed for about six hours