Peter gecho trial

Deputy Prosecutor James E. Gecho, 37, was reckless or disregarded the safety of others when he pulled his daughter, Madison Jo, 9, on an inflatable water craft in the dark at a neighborhood school.

When Thomas C. Nichols, he will argue that Madison's death was nothing more than a horrible accident. In an unusual move, Gecho, who is charged with one count of vehicular homicide, waived his right to a jury trial Friday and asked Nichols to hear the case.

The bench trial is expected to move more quickly than a jury trial would have, but the case could go into next week.

At about 9 p. Five other children, including Gecho's thenyear-old daughter, were in the truck bed. Madison died late that night of blunt head and chest injuries after the raft became airborne for nearly 17 feet, landed, and smashed into the brick bench.

Testimony showed the raft became airborne at 22 mph to 38 mph. On the field, Gecho "gunned" the truck into a spin, or "donut," Nichols said. That's why they went there. But was it reckless? Was it careless? Was it criminal? Some of the teens in the truck bed testified they did not see the brick bench because it was covered by snow, the judge noted. And it was dark, he said. There was no evidence at trial that Gecho saw the bench, Nichols said. Coincidentally, Golik decided on June 20 to demote David.

He added, though, that the situation caused his client fear of retribution. David also handled the case of Peter Gecho, who was acquitted in of vehicular homicide in the sledding death of his 9-year-old daughter, Madison Jo. He had been a senior deputy prosecutor — a role that entails either supervising a prosecution specialty unit or handling major crimes — since February Thursday, January 13, The Columbian is becoming a rare example of a news organization with local, family ownership.