Suspected drunk driver charged in connection to crash that injured West Pierce medics
A suspected drunk driver injured two medics when he crashed into a West Pierce Fire & Rescue vehicle last year, court records allege.
Prosecutors charged the 34-year-old with two counts of vehicular assault Tuesday. He’s scheduled to be arraigned later this month.
Both medics “have been off work and undergoing medical treatment” and have “consistent pain that limits their ability to perform regular functions,” the declaration for determination of probable cause said.
One needed to have shattered glass removed from his eyes following the wreck.
The charging papers give this account of what happened:
Lakewood police responded to a fight Sept. 26 at a bar near Steilacoom Boulevard Southwest and Thunderbird Parkway Southwest.
Witnesses pointed out the 34-year-old as being involved, and he sped off in his truck. Police followed.
When they found him, he’d crashed into the West Pierce Fire & Rescue vehicle, which had been responding to the fight scene.
The truck had pushed the engine block of the West Pierce vehicle into the cabin.
The 34-year-old appeared drunk to officers, though he said he hadn’t had anything to drink. Test results are pending.
He was yelling things that didn’t make sense, smelled like intoxicants and had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
“It was noted that the defendant had open lanes in his direction, and it was unknown why he turned into the path of (the) responding emergency vehicle,” the probable cause statement said.
