This is part 2 of a two-profile series. For part 1 on University senior Craig Macfie, click here
It’s cold. Dark. Some time after 2 a.m., University student Patrick Compton is driving down East 11th Avenue near High Street@@http://www.kval.com/news/local/DAs-office-files-heavier-charges-for-driver-who-hit-cyclist–134291998.html@@. He’s been to at least one bar — John Henry’s, for ’80s Night.
Skip forward a few minutes. 2:26 a.m. the Eugene Police Department receives a call. There’s been a crash involving a bicyclist and a car. Compton’s car. The bicyclist is taken away with critical injuries, and 21-year-old Compton is arrested for second-degree assault and driving under the influence of intoxicants@@http://blogs.eugeneweekly.com/eugenecycles/drunk-driver-critically-injures-cyclist-bike-lane@@.
Skip forward 16 hours. The bicyclist, 24-year-old Craig Macfie, is declared dead.
Sixty hours after the crash, the District Attorney’s office filed new charges. Second-degree manslaughter.
The worst possible scenario has happened and Compton is facing a minimum sentence of 75 months in prison.
One night — one incident — changed one life and ended another. His friends are puzzled by the DUII charges.
“It’s weird,” University senior Lucy Momoh@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Lucy+Momoh@@ said. “Two weeks before the accident, he stayed at my place, on my couch, because he was too drunk to go home.”
University senior Sean Teach@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Sean+Teach@@, who was with Compton the night of the fatal accident, agreed.
“I was unaware that he ever drank and drove.” Teach said. “He’s a worrier about that kind of thing.”
That night, Teach was supposed to go with Compton to John Henry’s@@http://www.johnhenrysclub.com/@@. Instead, Teach got the call around 11 p.m. saying Compton would meet him there.
“He told me he was walking to ’80s Night,” Teach said. “I don’t know if he meant from his car, or if he meant from home.”
Teach said Compton left the bar before 1 a.m. The time Compton spent between then and the accident is still unaccounted for.
Police officer Dale Dawson, a member of the Eugene Police Forensic Investigation Reconstruction Survey Team, can clarify little about what happened that night.
“Both people were westbound on High Street,” Dawson said. “The incident occurred in the intersection.”
Dawson also released that both Compton and Macfie were intoxicated. The investigation will continue until Compton’s trial.
Momoh also knew Macfie and says she and Compton had similar personalities.
“(Compton is) just the kind of guy you want to go over and say ‘hey’ to,” Momoh said. “And Craig’s the exact same way.”
Compton attended Beaverton High School and graduated with Teach in 2008. A football player, Compton was always supportive of other students.
“He’s never been selfish,” Teach said. “He always does everything for others.”
Compton’s Facebook wall is loaded with supportive messages from friends and family members.
“It’s weird seeing Patrick’s mom post things on Facebook asking for letters and stuff,” Momoh said. “She might not have lost her son, but she could lose him.”
Both Compton and Macfie were scheduled to graduate by the end of this year. Now, neither will have that chance.
“It’s such a shame that this is happening,” Teach said.
Momoh can’t wrap her mind around losing two friends so suddenly.
“Craig could just be in Scotland right now and Patrick at home,” Momoh said. “It just doesn’t seem real.”
Teach is trying to get on Compton’s visiting list at the Lane County Jail. Compton’s next court date is set for Dec. 27.@@http://www.court.us/idar491678/public_safety_log__nov__8_.htm@@
Until then, his friends will continue to write letters of character references, reminding people who he was before the accident that will forever change his life.
“He was the golden boy,” Teach said. “He was flawless.”
University student faces manslaughter and DUII charges, could serve 75 months in prison
Daily Emerald
November 21, 2011
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