A man who was allegedly driving drunk a year ago when he caused a crash that seriously injured a woman appeared Tuesday in Clark County Superior Court.
Bradley A. Bachmeier, 20, of Vancouver appeared on suspicion of vehicular assault and DUI stemming from the New Year’s Day crash in 2016.
The driver of the other vehicle, Linda Edwards, suffered a compound leg fracture, court records show.
Clark County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched at about 1:15 a.m. to a two-vehicle collision at Northeast 137th Avenue and 84th Street in Vancouver. Bachmeier was driving a black Hyundai when witnesses said he turned in front of the other vehicle. Deputies observed heavy front end damage to both vehicles, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Deputies noticed a strong odor of alcohol on Bachmeier’s breath and said he had bloodshot, droopy eyes. Bachmeier was reportedly swaying side to side. He told the officers that he drank some alcohol about two hours before the crash, the affidavit states.
A preliminary breath test estimated he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.216 about a half-hour after the crash. Bachmeier was then taken to the Washington State Patrol office for two blood-alcohol tests, which found he had a BAC of 0.167 and 0.154 more than an hour after the crash, according to court documents. In Washington, a blood alcohol level of 0.08 is considered evidence of drunken driving.
On Tuesday, Bachmeier appeared after receiving a summons and was granted supervised release, court records show. He will be arraigned Jan. 31.
