What happened to ‘innocent until proven guilty?’
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Editor,
My dad used to tell us, “Believe nothing you hear and only half of what you see.”
That sounds about right with all news stories and court documents that have covered the situation concerning Jared Hendrickson on May 6 at 1:53 a.m. in Charlo. Every story has at least two sides.
The story being told gives one biased side with no control of the facts, aiming for the “oh my god” reaction. According to news reports, Charlo’s Main Street (U.S. Highway 93) is bare with people huddled together on the sides. Out of nowhere, this big, evil pickup roars to life, flies for a short distance east, turns around, stalls, revs up, flies, then all of a sudden swerves into bystanders. All the reader can visualize is a scene from the movie “Carrie.” Nowhere do these court documents mention the FUPS tournament going on. Reports say there were 500 people in the city of Charlo milling around the street, with standing room only around the bar. At the time of the accident, there were numerous car or trucks trying to leave.
With all the people out and about, I don’t think it’s possible that no one saw the guy hanging out the drive'rs window punching, threatening, and grabbing the wheel; or someone on the hood, or the people cussing, threatening and breaking the back window. How did a supposedly empty 24-pack of beer remain on the flatbed for 15-20 miles or beyond? Even at the court hearing, Judge Christopher, when asked about the removal of the ankle bracelet, remarked, “Concerning the allegations against you, we can’t have you drinking and mowing down people.”
What happened to innocent until proven guilty?
Jared Hendrickson is my grandson, and yes, he knows better than to be involved in the situation he was in. He did not intentionally hurt any bystanders. If he didn’t know before, he knows now where there’s drinking and crowds, anything or everything can get out of control, including the follow-up that has him tried and convicted. He definitely knows how the rest of his family thinks of drinking and driving. On March 2, 2002, his sister Camron died 3 or 4 miles down Dublin Gulch after being served illegally at the 44 Bar. She will be 19 forever and never forgotten.
It seems most of the witnesses are the participants of the assault on the pickup and its occupants. There’s a total rest of the story unheard.
Shelley Hendrickson
Arlee
