A dramatic three-car crash in Spokane Valley at the end of August injured five innocent people, sending three of them and the offending driver to the hospital. The crash happened at the end of a police chase, when the driver being pursued ran a stop sign on Sinto Ave and was hit by a pickup traveling north on Mullan Road. The fleeing driver’s vehicle was thrown into another car at the intersection.

Unusual Behavior Prompts Pursuit

The driver of the car had come to the attention of police because she had been seen threatening people with a knife or screwdriver as she drove around the area. Washington State Patrol officers attempted to pull her over when she was spotted near Interstate 90 and Broad Avenue, but she sped away, entering and leaving the freeway and at times reaching 90 miles per hour.

The potential for damage and injury was reduced when, shortly before the crash, the driver stopped to let a fourteen-year-old out of the car. Their relationship is unclear, but that kind of dangerous driving with a minor passenger in the vehicle should come with consequences.

DUI Among Charges

That’s probably why one of the charges the driver faces after the crash is reckless endangerment. She was also charged with reckless driving, felony eluding, and DUI.

Any of those charges could result in at least some jail time, but felony eluding would be the harshest: Under Washington state law, that crime can bring a maximum of five years in prison. A driver convicted of that offense is also likely to have her license permanently revoked.

Injuries Minor

The people hurt by the reckless driver in this Spokane Valley crash suffered only minor injuries. Too often, that’s not the case. Data from the Washington State Department of Transportation for 2015 show that more than 2,000 people were seriously injured and 551 killed in vehicle collisions on Washington’s roads that year.

There were more than 117,000 total collisions in the state that year—an average of one about every four and a half minutes.

Spokane Car Accident Lawyer

That’s a lot of potential damage and injury, with the vast majority of it caused by human action—an error, mistake, negligent behavior, or act of recklessness. When you’re a victim in one of these accidents, you need a partner to help you fight for compensation through the legal system.

Call on Craig Swapp & Associates and our years of experience helping clients navigate the complexities of automobile accident law. We’ve helped many of those hurt in Spokane car crashes reach the settlements they deserve, and we can help you, too.

Get in touch with us by phone at 1-800-404-9000 or by filling out the online contact form below.

Written By: Ryan Swapp     Legal Review By: Craig Swapp