RICHLAND, Wash. — An off-duty Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper who is facing vehicular homicide charges following a deadly crash said she didn’t see the motorcyclist coming, according to court documents.
On March 1, Sarah Clasen, 35, was driving her SUV around 7:39 p.m. on SR 240 in Richland when she tried to make a lefthand turn onto Village Parkway.
When she made that turn, she hit a motorcycle that was driving in the oncoming lane.
Clasen later told officers that she felt the impact of the crash, but said the motorcyclist came out of nowhere.
She also told officers that she only saw one headlight coming toward her, thinking that a vehicle had one of the headlights out. According to court documents, Clasen said she thought she had time to make the turn, and that it was mostly completed at the time of the crash.
However, an investigating officer said, “the damage to Sarah’s SUV was concentrated on the front passenger corner, which meant that she would have just begun to turn at the time of impact,” according to court documents.
The officer also believes she would have had a clear view of oncoming traffic prior to the collision, court documents said.
The motorcycle was found mostly underneath her vehicle, according to court documents.
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An officer said he could smell what he believed was “an odor of intoxicants coming from her person” when he spoke to her at the scene.
Clasen did not wish to take a voluntary field sobriety test, nor a preliminary breath test, according to court documents.
She is facing charges of vehicular homicide.
The WSP confirmed that an independent investigation is underway, with Richland PD leading the inquiry. Clasen is employed at WSP, but was off-duty and in her personal car at the time of the crash.
“Based on her working out of the local Kennewick (WSP) detachment, we’ve determined that we need to identify a Special Prosecutor to handle this case,” Benton County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Eisinger explained. “In the interest of justice, I think that’s the best thing for all concerned because we regularly interact with the state patrol.”
WSP Chief John R. Batiste released a statement regarding the crash.
“The Washington State Patrol offers our sincerest condolences to the victim and their loved ones,” Batiste stated. “I have every confidence that the Richland Police Department will investigate this case with great care and professionalism. We are thankful there were no other injuries and will of course, cooperate in any way requested by the independent investigating agency.”
“Law enforcement officers are not immune from tragedy nor from personal accountability,” the Batiste continued, urging all motorists to drive with care.
Commander Chris Mason of RPD has been designated as the point of contact for further updates.
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