A 23-year-old man suspected of impaired driving has been jailed following a two-vehicle crash Monday in Hazel Dell that sent him and the other driver to the hospital.
David A. Minch faces an allegation of vehicular assault stemming from the crash. Clark County sheriff’s deputies have also forwarded to prosecutors charges of third-degree driving with a suspended license, hit-and-run of property and an ignition interlock violation.
Minch was released from the hospital and booked into the Clark County Jail on Wednesday for those charges plus two outstanding warrants, both related to driving under the influence.
Clark County Fire District 6 personnel witnessed the collision at 7:08 p.m. at the intersection of Northeast 99th Street and Hazel Dell Avenue. They provided aid to both drivers, as deputies arrived on scene, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
Witnesses reported that a white Chevrolet S10 pickup was traveling west on 99th Street and entered the intersection against a red light, colliding with a Toyota Avalon making a left turn from southbound Hazel Dell Avenue, the news release states.
Both drivers were taken to an area hospital for treatment.
The driver of the truck was identified as Minch. Court records list Minch as transient, but the sheriff’s office noted he has ties to Vancouver and Utah.
The driver of the Toyota was identified as Alexei A. Kendall-Bray, 20, of Vancouver. He is recovering from his injuries, deputies said.
“In addition to the collision, the white pickup had also (crashed into) a stop sign a short time before at another location and had left the scene, leaving behind a license plate,” the sheriff’s office said.
Traffic unit investigators responded to the scene due to the nature of the crash and the significant injuries caused by it. Following an interview with Minch, the investigators suspected he was driving impaired, the sheriff’s office said. A sample of his blood was taken at the hospital for testing.
