Christopher Robert Church is on trial for vehicular assault, third-degree assault and leaving the scene of an accident. The charges stem from a February 13 crash on Machias Road involving a group of motorcycle officers returning home from a training exercise.

The pickup and trailer that Church was driving drifted across the centerline and struck Lynnwood motorcycle officer Scott Dilworth, causing sever injuries. Another officer, Cory Cook of Snohomish was also injured.

Claiming that he did not know that his trailer had struck anyone, Church continued driving with other officers from the group in pursuit. Church finally stopped some distance down the road. A blood test taken after the collision showed that Church had taken methamphetamine.

In a novel strategy, defense attorney Michael Jones offered that his client had not been speeding. As for the methamphetamine, Jones told the jury that the drug is a stimulant, not a depressant like alcohol.

“It’s not something to cause you to be a bad driver,” Jones said of the drug. “It causes you to be a better driver.”