SPD investigators have determined probable cause exists for an additional charge of Vehicular Assault in the car crash that seriously injured two teens Monday night. Although it was originally reported to officers that one of the passenger suffered only minor injuries, she was transported to the hospital where she was admitted for multiple serious injuries including several fractures. The other teenage passenger was also transported and remains in critical condition.
On Monday, April 11th, just before 8:30pm, police were advised of a vehicle that had driven off the roadway in the area of 2700 E South Riverton Ave. into the river below. Several more callers stated there were multiple occupants in the vehicle when it left the roadway and entered the river. Officers, along with Spokane Fire and AMR Personnel, arrived to the area and were able to remove all occupants from the vehicle.
One male was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Initially, it was believed the other passenger received only minor injuries from the collision. Once fully evaluated, it was determined she received multiple fractures and other serious injuries. It appears at least one of the occupants was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred. The driver, Serenity Dalziel (19), was taken to a local hospital where she was treated for minor injuries in the collision, then booked into Spokane County Jail for Vehicular Assault and Reckless Endangerment of a Juvenile, as a result of being under the influence of drugs other than alcohol, at the time of the collision.
Due to the extensive injuries to both passengers in the car, the determination from a Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) that the driver was likely impaired by cannabis, and evidence speed was likely a factor, the driver’s charges will be upgraded to two counts of Vehicular Assault in addition to a charge of Reckless Endangerment as one of the occupants was an underage teen. At this time, this incident is still under investigation.
This is an important reminder to teens and parents as we head into prom, graduation and the summer months. One of the number one killers of our teens are crashes and top contributing factors are impairment, speed, and not wearing a seatbelt. It’s important to remember that alcohol is not the only substance that causes impairment. Among numerous others, cannabis is also a common substance seen in impaired drivers. It’s been shown cannabis impairment reduces reaction times and often the collisions involve high speeds leading to serious injuries and fatalities. For more information, please visit the Washington Traffic Safety Commission at https://wtsc.wa.gov/programs-priorities/young-drivers/.
https://my.spokanecity.org/.../12/upriver-vehicle-collision/
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up