A Vancouver man was arrested following a fatal single-vehicle crash Monday morning in north Clark County.
Clark County sheriff’s deputies and medical personnel were dispatched at 10:48 a.m. to Northwest 422nd Street and Hayes Road. The first crews to arrive found a red Nissan Pathfinder that had rolled over several times off the roadway and struck a power pole, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.
Two ambulances and a LifeFlight helicopter were requested to respond, but a short time later, responders said a person at the crash scene was dead upon arrival, according to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian.
Tylor A. Krout, 30, of Vancouver was found dead on the ground near the Pathfinder, according to the news release.
The driver of another vehicle traveling with the Nissan stopped and assisted at the scene.
However, the driver of the Nissan, identified as Eugene A. Jorgensen, 57, of Vancouver, walked away from the scene and hitchhiked in a late-model white Ford pickup truck towing a fishing boat, according to the sheriff’s office. Detectives don’t believe the person knew that Jorgensen was a suspect in a crime.
Deputies later learned Jorgensen returned to his Orchards-area residence, the news release said. After responding to the residence, deputies learned that Jorgensen had fled, according to the news release. A police dog tracked Jorgensen, leading to his arrest.
Jorgensen was taken to a local hospital to be treated for injuries suffered in the crash and a dog bite. He will be booked into the Clark County Jail on suspicion of vehicular homicide and felony hit-and-run, deputies said.
The sheriff’s office traffic unit is investigating. Excessive speed and driver impairment appear to be factors in the crash, according to the news release.
Detectives are seeking additional information from the person who picked up Jorgensen on Hayes Road just west of the crash scene, according to the news release. Anyone with information can contact Detective Chris Skidmore at 564-397-5482.
