Golik has friendly exchange with former defendant

Tony Golik, a Clark County deputy prosecuting attorney running for the top job, estimates that he has pushed 2,000 doorbells, in addition to attending parades and other community events.

While campaigning, he has encountered former jurors, family members of victims and others who have shared their recollections of seeing Golik in court.

It was only a matter of time before he ran into a former defendant.

That’s what happened Sunday, when Golik was doorbelling in east Vancouver.

One resident wanted to hear Golik’s thoughts on first-time offenders.

Golik told the man he takes a lot of factors into consideration when settling cases with first-time offenders, and recognizes good people do make mistakes.

Then the man told Golik he had been one of those first-time offenders.

He told Golik that Golik handled his reckless driving case a decade ago in Clark County District Court. Golik agreed to reduce the charge from reckless driving (a gross misdemeanor) to negligent driving, a misdemeanor that carried a smaller fine.

“He seemed like a nice guy,” Golik, who for the past several years has prosecuted major felony crimes, said Monday. “He did say he was going to vote for me.”

Golik will face Brent Boger, an assistant Vancouver city attorney, on Nov. 2 in the race to replace Clark County Prosecutor Art Curtis, who is retiring.

— Stephanie Rice