Man gets 4.5 years in car chase, crash

A driver who crashed into another vehicle while leading police on a car chase was sentenced in Clark County Superior Court to 4.5 years in prison.

Daniel J. Edstrom, 27, pleaded guilty Wednesday to vehicular assault and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle in connection with the July 24 incident.

Vancouver police attempted to stop a vehicle shortly before 2:35 p.m., but the driver, identified as Edstrom, fled. His vehicle reached speeds in excess of 90 mph in a 40-mph zone, drove into oncoming lanes of traffic to pass vehicles, and ran red lights and stop signs, according to a probable cause affidavit.

Edstrom then tried to negotiate a blind corner, but he lost control of the vehicle. He hit a guardrail and went into the oncoming lane, where his vehicle collided with another that was occupied by a family of four, the affidavit states.

Edstrom later told police that he tried to “get away” because he didn’t want to get in trouble for having needles inside his vehicle, according to court documents.

A passenger in his vehicle, Lauren Marshall, sustained a fracture to her left eye socket and sinus, court records said. The prosecution said Wednesday that she was four months pregnant at the time. The other family was not injured.

Judge David Gregerson sentenced Edstrom to 54 months in prison and 12 months of community custody. He was given credit for 47 days in custody.