In a bizarre series of events, two suspects in separate hit-and-run crashes allegedly ended up fleeing together despite not knowing each other.
The first crash happened around noon on Jan. 17, when Scott L. Hanson, 54 of Battle Ground was allegedly driving under the influence behind the wheel of a tan Ford Explorer. The Explorer was traveling west on state Highway 500 when it crashed into a Kia Rio near 71st Street, according to Washington State Patrol Trooper Will Finn.
No one was injured in the crash.
Following the crash, Hanson continued driving west on the highway and then pulled over to the side of the road near the Interstate 205 overpass, Finn said.
After waiting in his car for about 10 to 15 minutes, another crash occurred in front of Hanson when a westbound Chevy Malibu struck a blue Ford Explorer, Finn said. Nobody was injured in that crash, either.
The driver of the Malibu, Elton M. Gurrola, 20, of Vancouver at first talked to the driver of the blue Explorer, letting him see his insurance card, Finn said. The card, however, did not have Gurrola’s name on it.
The driver of the blue Explorer took photos of Gurrola’s plates and the insurance card, Finn said.
Hanson, who had been sitting on the side of the road, crawled into the back seat of Gurrola’s Chevy Malibu, Finn said.
Gurrola told Hanson to get out of the car but Hanson refused. Gurrola drove away and eventually dropped Hanson off in Vancouver, where Hanson’s wife picked him up and took him to their Battle Ground home, Finn said.
Because Hanson’s vehicle was left at the second hit-and-run scene and the victim in the second crash snapped a photo of the Malibu’s plates, troopers were able to track down the two drivers, Finn said.
Hanson was arrested the same day on suspicion of driving under the influence, hit and run and driving with a suspended license.
Troopers contacted Gurrola on Tuesday, where they arrested him on suspicion of hit and run, rendering criminal assistance and an outstanding warrant for third-degree theft.
“We’re very thankful that no one was hurt in either one of these collisions,” Finn said, adding that he was glad the case was resolved.
“Sometimes we don’t have an ending for these folks and it’s terrible, it’s a terrible feeling,” Finn said. “We have two here and it’s a very successful ending for us to close these cases.”
