As the investigation continues into a fatal hit and run incident in a camping area north of Hoquiam late Saturday night, the Quinault Indian Nation has issued a statement saying the driver being sought by police yelled racial slurs as he backed over two tribal members, Jimmy Smith-Kramer and Harvey Anderson.

Smith-Kramer, who was celebrating his 20th birthday, later died of his injuries. Anderson, 19, was injured, but has been released from the hospital and credits his friend for saving his life by pushing him out of the way.

Grays Harbor County Undersheriff Dave Pimentel says their investigation has not shown any evidence that race was a factor. “There is nothing in our investigation that gives any credence to what they are saying about this being a racially motivated crime,” said Pimentel.

There were about nine people total in Smith-Kramer’s group in the Donkey Creek area. It was was not at an official state campsite but on a gravel bar on property owned by the state Department of Natural Resources and frequently used by campers. The incident, said Pimentel, escalated quickly.

“It happened very quickly,” he said. “It was a very combustible situation.”

It is believed the suspect has used the campsite in the past. Investigators are still searching for the vehicle, described as a mid-90s Chevrolet pickup, white with an extended cab and raised with large offroad tires. “We’ve looked into numerous people and vehicles that look similar to the vehicle described to us, but nothing has panned out yet,” said Pimentel. “People have relayed to us that they have seen this vehicle previously at the campground.”

The suspect driver was described by witnesses as being white, 30 to 35 years old with dark hair and a short beard. He reportedly had a female passenger, described as white and around 30 years old with dark hair. Witnesses claim she was heard screaming at the driver to stop after the incident.

According to the Quinault Indian Nation’s statement, entitled “What really happened at Donkey Creek” released late Monday, the driver of the vehicle that struck the two young tribe members shouted racial slurs as he “purposely ran over them.” It continued, “The driver was screaming racial slurs and war whoops when he ran over the two tribal members.”

The statement and Sheriff’s Department investigators also depart on the series of events that led up to the incident.

“Earlier reports by the media said the two had thrown rocks as the suspect’s truck,” read the statement. “That is inaccurate, according to witnesses. A rock was not thrown at the suspect’s truck until after two men had been run over.”

Pimentel said that based on statements collected after the incident authorities believe that campers confronted the suspect, who was driving dangerously on the gravel bar, there was an argument and he continued driving the way he had been.

“One of the campers threw a rock at the vehicle and either broke out the back window or the passenger side window of the vehicle,” said Pimentel. “The driver of the vehicle got upset when his window was broken out and backed his vehicle up towards the campers and intentionally ran over two male subjects.”

According to the Quinault release, Quinault Chief of Police Mark James, whose department is investigating the incident in cooperation with the Grays Harbor Sheriff’s Office, said that there was no apparent provocation by the tribal members in the attack.

Quinault Indian Nation President Fawn Sharp said, “It is very important for accurate information to be conveyed. Once the suspects are identified, Quinault will prepare a motion to permanently exclude the individuals from ever entering the exterior boundaries of the Quinault Reservation. Our entire Tribe is distraught over this incident. We work hard to be good friends with our neighboring communities. If it is, in fact, determined that this was a hate crime it will add even more distress and sadness to our loss of this outstanding young man and the injury of the other.”

Sharp, who is an attorney and former governor of the Washington State Bar Association, continued, “There is simply no excuse or defense to this unthinkable tragedy. If it’s a hate crime it could help assure that it would be triggered as a felony or trigger aggravating circumstances at sentencing.”

James Smith-Kramer

Harvey Anderson, when contacted at his home in Aberdeen by The Daily World Tuesday as he recovered from his injuries, said he was too broken up to discuss the incident or to talk about the loss of his close friend.

“I’m sorry but I’m lost on words right now,” said Anderson.

Smith-Kramer’s cousin Angela Malone described him as a young man who loved to smile, have fun and play practical jokes on his friends and extended family members.

“He was the type of person, when he walked into the room he lit it up with his smile,” she said. “He was super outgoing and goofy and just incredible at hunting. I swear he could smell where the elk or anything else he was hunting were going. He would outhunt some of the older” tribal members.

Several sources have said that Smith-Kramer, who lived in Taholah, took the brunt of the impact from the truck as he tried to push Anderson out of harm’s way.

“He was the baby and so fun loving and goofy, but he would also protect others before himself,” said Malone. “And that was his last act, protecting Harvey, and Harvey is here because of Jimmy.”

She recalled her cousin as a youngster, playing croquet with relatives. “He hated cheaters,” she said, and if he saw someone breaking the rules of the game he would move their ball further away from the goal when they weren’t looking. He and Malone would play pranks on opposing teams as they played to gain the advantage.

“Jimmy was raised by my daughter and son in-law since he was 4 years old. Jimmy died a hero and he suffered his deadly injuries as he dove and shoved his friend Harvey out of harm’s way,” said Quinault Indian Nation Treasurer Larry Ralston. “Jimmy graduated from Taholah High School where he was a stellar athlete. After graduation he became a commercial fisherman. Jimmy was always a keen hunter and most of all a father, a friend, and a family member whose life was taken from him senselessly.”

Smith-Kramer is the father of twins.

A candlelight vigil was held Tuesday evening in Olympia. Malone said the tribal council was meeting afterward to set a time and location for a memorial service.

A local clothing manufacturer called Cruel Lotus is raising money for Smith-Kramer’s family by selling memorial sweatshirts and t-shirts. For more information, see the Facebook page called Lotus Knows.