Sheriff's pre-trial pushed to February

DAVENPORT – Lincoln County Sheriff Wade Magers' pre-trial date concerning the three criminal charges he is facing has been pushed to Feb. 9, 2022 at 1:30 p.m., according to Lincoln County District Court. The pre-trial had originally been scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 3.

Magers, who is charged with obstructing a law enforcement officer, making a false or misleading statement to a public servant and rendering criminal assistance in the third degree, entered a not-guilty plea on all three counts at his arraignment July 7.

The charges stem from a car crash involving Sheriff Magers' son in February 2021 and the sheriff's alleged attempts to prevent authorities from learning that his son may have been driving under the influence of alcohol. Magers was charged by the Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney after a Washington State Patrol detective investigation into the incident this summer.

The trial is currently expected to occur in March 2022 after the February pre-trial date, according to District Court. The prosecutor and defense counsel reportedly mutually agreed to push the pre-trial date forward three months. Franklin County Deputy Prosecutor Albert Lin is serving as prosecutor, while Bevan Maxey of Maxey Law Office PLLC in Spokane is representing Magers.