Suspect’s charges now include homicide due to victim’s death

The charges for a woman involved in an injury vehicle crash in late September now include vehicular homicide following the death of one of the crash’s victims.

Vancouver’s Fontella Hooper, 30, faces a new charge of vehicular homicide, along with vehicular assault and third-degree driving with a suspended license charges, for a fatal crash on the evening of Sept. 21.

A police probable cause statement included in court records says Hooper failed to stop at a stop sign when turning from P Street onto East Fourth Plain Boulevard in Vancouver.

Hooper turned into oncoming traffic and hit a Dodge Caravan driven by Jodalee M. Wakeman, according to court records. Both Wakeman and a passenger, Kimberly D. Makarowsky, sustained serious injuries.

Makarowsky was taken to a hospital unconscious with a head injury and died three days later, according to court records.

Officers at the scene said that when they contacted Hooper her breath smelled of alcohol, her speech was slurred and repetitive, and she needed help to stand, according to court records.

Hooper originally faced two counts of vehicular assault, but the charges were amended to include vehicular homicide following Makarowsky’s death.

Hooper was released after posting $100,000 bond, and her arraignment, where she’ll be formally charged, is set for Tuesday afternoon.