The Vancouver man suspected of causing the hit-and-run death of a good Samaritan in an Interstate 205 crash now faces new charges alleging that he conspired with a cellmate to create an alibi to clear him of the crime.
Already facing four charges in connection to the crash, Joshua C. Frahm made his first court appearance Wednesday on another charge: conspiracy to commit perjury.
The Washington State Patrol alleges that Frahm, 28, of Vancouver was behind the wheel of a Ford F-150 driving north on Interstate 205 just before 6 a.m. on Dec. 7. He reportedly rear-ended a Honda CR-V and then did not stop or report the collision.
The CR-V came to rest in the center and left lanes of the freeway, according to court documents.
Richard G. Irvine, 63, of Camas was driving north on the highway when he saw the collision. He pulled to the right shoulder and ran to the CR-V, calling 911, according to court records.
While he was on the phone with dispatchers, a northbound Honda Odyssey minivan struck the CR-V, which struck Irvine.
Irvine suffered injuries and was taken to an area hospital, but was later transferred to Ray Hickey Hospice House in Vancouver, where he died Dec. 19.
Steven M. Klase, 25, of Battle Ground, the driver of the CR-V, also suffered a fractured leg in the crash and was treated and released from the hospital.
The driver of the minivan, Fredy Delacruz-Moreno, 41, of Seattle, is not facing any charges in the crash.
While investigating the incident, Frahm claimed his pickup was stolen and that he was asleep at his sister’s house at the time of the crash, according to court reports. But cellphone records, surveillance video and DNA on the pickup’s airbag all indicate that Frahm was not at his sister’s house, according to court documents.
Frahm was arrested Dec. 7 and faces charges of vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, hit-and-run injury and false reporting.
While in jail, Frahm was housed in the G-Pod alongside Dusty Steele Nielsen, 22, who approached Frahm’s attorney, Jeff Barrar, several days after Nielsen was released from jail in mid-February.
Nielsen told Barrar that he had met Frahm at Frahm’s sister’s house to retrieve his wallet during the time when the crash would have occurred, according to court documents.
Barrar referred Nielsen to detectives and when Nielsen learned of the evidence against Frahm, Nielsen admitted that he and Frahm had devised the story, according to court documents.
Frahm had even asked Nielsen to visit Frahm’s sister’s house so he would know the route, according to court records.
Judge Robert Lewis set no bail for Frahm. His next court appearance is scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m.
