A new trial date in Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria has been set for an elected official charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter after a fatal crash while he drove a heavy-duty forklift in 2024.
David Baskett, 82, of Orcutt has pleaded not guilty to the single charge stemming from the collision that killed Tiffany Ann Peterson, 39, of Orcutt on the afternoon of May 2, 2024.
Peterson was a passenger in a small truck driven by her father on Skyway Drive when it struck the tines of the rented telehandler, or telescoping forklift, driven by Baskett, who was stopped on Hangar Street near the Santa Maria Public Airport.
A planned trial in September was delayed because of scheduling issues involving an in-custody defendant for a different case.
In October, defense attorney Adrienne Harbottle requested a postponement of Baskett’s trial after an expert witness retained to testify during the trial experienced “an unforeseen medical issue.”
On Monday, Judge Karen O’Neil set Feb. 19 as the new date for the trial to begin.
Attorneys have estimated the trial would last two to three weeks, but it won’t take place daily during that time because of the judge’s schedule involving other cases.
Baskett served on the Santa Maria Public Airport District board when the fatal crash occurred, but lost his re-election bid on Nov. 5, 2024.
He continues to serve on the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District Board of Education.