Newport man charged with murder, vehicular homicide in Chattaroy 'road rage' incident

Garrett Cabeza, The Spokesman-Review, Spokane, Wash.
·2 min read

Aug. 17—A 43-year-old Newport man intentionally struck the back of a pickup truck, causing it to roll several times and killing the 33-year-old Reardan woman behind the wheel earlier this month near Chattaroy, according to court documents.

Paul Ainsworth was booked into the Spokane County Jail on second-degree murder and vehicular homicide charges for the crash that one witness described as "road rage" and resulted in the death of Rebecca Powelson.

The drivers were headed south on U.S. Highway 2 north of Riverside High School shortly after 6 a.m. Aug. 2, according to documents. Ainsworth was driving a silver 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan in the left passing lane, and Powelson was in her blue 1990 Ford Ranger in the right lane.

According to two witnesses, Powelson and Ainsworth were nearly side by side when the passing lane ended, with Powelson partially on the right shoulder and Ainsworth partly over the center line.

Witnesses told police Ainsworth slowed down and intentionally turned into the left rear of Powelson's truck.

The Washington State Patrol determined Powelson's Ford "rotated violently counterclockwise" and rolled. The Ford rolled through a drainage ditch off the northbound shoulder until it collided with a large boulder, coming to rest on its side in a driveway, law enforcement said in court records.

Powelson was wearing a seat belt but died at the scene.

Ainsworth stopped off to the side of the southbound lane.

A tire friction mark at the scene was likely left by Ainsworth as he "finally performed an emergency braking application," WSP Detective Troy Corkins said in documents.

"When the tire friction marks on the roadway were compared to the damage on the right front of the Dodge, it was apparent the Dodge turned into the Ford," Corkins wrote.

He said evidence led him to believe Ainsworth accelerated into Powelson's truck as it rotated before rolling.

One witness compared Ainsworth's driving to a precision immobilization technique (PIT) maneuver used by law enforcement, telling authorities Ainsworth suddenly drove hard to the right, hitting the rear side of the truck on the left side. The witness said it appeared to be intentional.

Ainsworth told police he did not know if he hit the other car or if they hit him.

Another witness said he told Ainsworth to remain on scene, and the crash was Ainsworth's fault. Ainsworth replied in a "hostile" manner, telling the witness to come over to him and calling her a profane name, according to the witness.

Ainsworth was not injured but taken to MultiCare Deaconess Hospital before being booked into jail.

Ainsworth remained in jail Thursday on a $100,000 bond. He is set for a status hearing Sept. 15 in front of Spokane County Superior Court Judge Timothy Fennessy.