Man Badly Injured in Battle Ground DUI Crash

Updated on: 11/20/2019

Police arrested a 21-year-old woman on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol and hit-and-run for her role in a crash that badly injured another driver in Battle Ground on Sunday.

According to The Columbian, Ashley Allen was driving a red GMC Yukon near the intersection of SW Eaton Boulevard and SW 20^th Avenue at around midnight on Sunday when she crashed head-on into a vehicle driven by 33-year-old Mario Valencia. Valencia was transported via ambulance to a nearby hospital with several broken bones and a ruptured spleen.

Allen attempted to flee the scene of the crash, but a witness followed her GMC for several blocks until it came to a stop in the 19300 block of NE 112^th Avenue. That witness called police to report the attempted hit-and-run, and police were eventually able to contact Allen and question her about her role in the collision.

Allen reportedly had watery eyes and slurred speech, in addition to having alcohol on her breath. She was arrested under suspicion of vehicular assault and hit-and-run resulting in injury, and her bail was set at $5,000.

Crashes Involving a Hit-and-Run Driver

Drunk driving accidents can be complex to navigate, and it is very important to gather concrete evidence of the facts in order to support a case and reach a successful outcome. There are a lot of factors that still need to be sorted out in a case such as this particular situation, and the results of the police investigation should help clarify some of those issues.  

Police said that Allen showed signs of being intoxicated, but her blood-alcohol level was below .08, which complicates things from a criminal standpoint. However, the fact that she struck Valencia’s vehicle head-on and fled the scene should theoretically support the injured victim’s potential personal injury case.

It can be beneficial to consult with a qualified personal injury lawyer any time liability may potentially be disputed in a car accident case, as sorting out the details and collecting important evidence can make a big difference in the chances of a successful outcome. And since most personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, there is usually no downside to at least consulting with an attorney.