As the driver accused of striking and killing 7-year-old Cadence Boyer with his Ford Mustang on Halloween entered the courtroom Friday afternoon, he hung his head. The girl’s friends and family members, filling a bench in the audience, held up photos of the girl.
Duane Abbott appeared in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of vehicular homicide and three counts of vehicular assault. Judge Robert Lewis granted his defense attorney’s request to postpone his arraignment until Nov. 26.
The 47-year-old was quiet and looked down during the short proceeding, lifting his head only to affirm that he was aware the motion would delay his right to a speedy trial.
Cadence Boyer’s family members said they would attend every one of Abbott’s court appearances.
The girl was walking with her mother, Annie Arnold, 32; Chelina Alsteen, 30; and a 6-year-old girl on a sidewalk along Northeast 112th Avenue in east Vancouver when they were struck by a Ford Mustang at about 8:20 p.m. on Halloween.
They were out trick-or-treating, and Boyer was dressed as Batgirl.
All four were rushed to hospitals. Cadence spent two days on life support before she died Nov. 2 at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center in Portland. Arnold was discharged from the same hospital Nov. 4. She appeared last week at her daughter’s vigil in a wheelchair.
Alsteen was listed in serious condition at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, an upgrade after being in critical condition since the Halloween night crash.
The 6-year-old girl, whose parents have asked that her name not be released, was discharged from Randall Children’s Hospital at Legacy Emanuel on Nov. 7.
