SUQUAMISH — If a Universal Life Church minister who once ran for Eglon Port Commission stays out of trouble for three years, a hit and run charge will be dropped.
In a pretrial diversion agreement approved by Chief Deputy Prosecutor Claire Bradley, Marcus G. Croman does not admit guilt but agrees “there are facts sufficient for a finding of guilty to the offense of hit and run …” He also “shall not drive a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license and/or proof of insurance,” the agreement states.
Croman’s license was suspended at the time of the crash because of non-payment of child support, Bradley said.
Bradley reduced the charge from felony injury hit and run to hit and run attended, a gross misdemeanor. According to the Rvised Code of Washington, failure to stop at the scene of a collision and provide name, address, and insurance information constitutes the crime of hit and run attended.
Croman also paid administrative court costs of $900. Matt Clucas, Croman’s lawyer, and Bradley said Croman contends he did not know his vehicle struck someone. The agreement was signed Sept. 12 by Croman, Clucas and Bradley.
Bradley is a candidate for District Court judge in the Nov. 4 election; Clucas is a member of her campaign committee and endorsed her in a letter published in the Sept. 26 North Kitsap Herald. Bradley said that relationship didn’t influence her handling of Croman’s case.
Bradley said most criminal defense lawyers in the county have endorsed her, and that if she had to recuse herself from handling pretrial negotiations with them before the election it would burden her department.
“In the District and Municipal Court Division, there are seven prosecutors, including myself,” she said. “We handle thousands of cases a year. All of us have to do the work.”
Croman’s retired ambulance-turned-Kingston Rescue Mission vehicle struck a pedestrian on Suquamish Way near Highway 305 and left the scene July 2, at about 10 p.m.
A description of the vehicle led sheriff’s officers to Croman’s home in Eglon. He was arrested on July 3 at 12:10 a.m. and booked into Kitsap County Jail; he was released later that day after posting $25,000 bail. His vehicle was temporarily impounded as evidence.
The case went through the Felony Early Plea Unit, where attorneys for both sides try to seek a resolution to the case on the District Court level before heading to Superior Court. The Felony Early Plea Unit is designed to reduce the Superior Court caseload. “Pretrial diversion is a good tool,” Bradley said. “It induces people to stay out of trouble, and we want to see people do well.”
Bradley said her legal assistant spoke to the victim’s mother-in-law, who “advised that he spent the night in the hospital, was released the next day and was home recovering, and was ambulatory. He had suffered a fractured neck, lacerations and a concussion. He was going to meet with a spinal specialist to determine what other course of medical intervention might be appropriate, if any.”
Bradley added, “The family was also told that Mr. Croman was insured, and given the pertinent information.”
‘Vehicle had damage consistent with the scene’
On July 2, a group of witnesses told a sheriff’s deputy that they were at the fireworks stand when they heard screams.
“They turned around to see what it was and observed what they believed was an ambulance go by (northbound) on Suquamish Way,” according to the investigation report. “One of the girls said at first they thought maybe that was where the screaming had come from but it continued after the ambulance passed by. One of the young men said that’s when they saw two people ‘crumpled’ on the ground. The group ran across the street to see if they could help …”
A 20-year-old man was lying unconscious on the ground. He was transported to Harrison Medical Center, then transferred to Harborview Medical Center. According to the probable cause statement, the man had an open wound on the back of his head, as well as pain in his right arm and neck.
His female friend told the deputy they had been at Clearwater Casino that night and were walking on Suquamish Way in the direction of the Shell Station, on the shoulder of the roadway and well to the right of the white fog line. She said her friend was struck from behind by a vehicle, went up onto the hood and then rolled off into her, knocking her down.
The female friend and witnesses described the vehicle as resembling an ambulance, white with a large square back and a truck-like front, “with lights and some type of special writing on the side.” A North Kitsap Fire & Rescue lieutenant said he passed a vehicle matching the description on his way to the scene.
“From the description of the ambulance, we knew this to be Marcus Croman,” the deputy wrote in the probable cause statement. “Croman drives this vehicle around and since it stands out, it is easily recognized.”
Sheriff’s officers contacted Croman at his home; also found was his vehicle, which “had damage to it consistent with the scene,” the deputy wrote.
Croman told investigators he had gone to Seattle in the vehicle with his children to visit his mother and brother, returned on the Bainbridge ferry, crossed the Agate Pass Bridge and drove through Suquamish on his way home.
“When confronted about being in a collision, Marcus admitted he heard a noise at the side of his vehicle,” according to the investigator’s report. “He denied striking a person, or seeing anyone, but said he thought his mirror had just fallen off, as it had before, and it hit the running board below.”
Croman said he believed he was driving the speed limit, but admitted driving with a suspended license. A records check revealed that Croman was wanted on a warrant for third-degree driving with a suspended license.
Croman owned and operated Cuppa Bella Bagelry & Espresso Cafe in Kingston; the cafe closed shortly after it moved to downtown Poulsbo. He ran unsuccessfully for Eglon Port Commission in 2009, then was ordained online by the Universal Life Church and started the rescue mission the next year. In an interview in July, he said he’s now a stay-at-home dad.