Charges Filed Against Man in 2020 Crash Dropped After Court Learns of Death

A Chelan Falls man involved in a head-on crash almost two years ago was facing faces felony charges until the court learned he died in 2021.

The State Patrol said 64-year-old Patrick Brighton was under the influence of meth and marijuana when his car crossed the center line on US 2 in Orondo and hit a pickup truck.

Brighton was charged in Douglas County this week with vehicular assault, but the Superior Court dropped the charges Thursday after being informed he died last year in Spokane.

His first court date had been scheduled for later this month (March 21).

The crash caused a lengthy traffic delay at the time when US 2 was completely shut down for about a half-hour, and another crash occurred in the backup.

Brighton was driving a 1999 Cadillac Seville at the time. He and the unnamed driver of the pickup were taken to Central Washington Hospital with injuries.