Man sentenced for vehicular homicide

EPHRATA — A Moses Lake man is serving more than two years in prison for the death of a passenger in a July 2009 collision.

Mathew P. Kump, 22, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in Grant County Superior Court.

The charge wasn’t changed as part of the plea.

Grant County Superior Court Judge John Knodell followed the prosecutor’s recommendation, sentencing Kump to two years and two months in prison, the minimum end of the sentencing range.

Kump has one prior conviction for reckless driving, and faced a maximum possible sentence of two years and ten months in prison.

Prosecutor Angus Lee stated they spoke with the parents of the victim, who felt Kump should be punished, but not excessively.

“They felt that the sentence range called for more time then was appropriate. Out of respect for the wishes of the parents of the victims, and the fact that the defendant was pleading guilty to vehicular homicide, this was the most appropriate sentence recommendation that could be made,” he stated.

Kump and the victim, Jeremy Skinner, had left his house after drinking with friends. They were returning on Road 7 Northeast traveling at speeds estimated at more than 100 mph when Kump failed to stop at the intersection with Stratford Road, according to the Grant County sheriff’s report. The vehicle bottomed out, crossed the road, hit an embankment and the vehicle rolled multiple times.

Kump had a blood-alcohol level of 0.11 at the time of the collision, according to the police report.