A judge set bail at $15,000 Monday for a Vancouver man accused of driving drunk and hitting another driver who was looking at his own crashed SUV. The victim reportedly suffered a skull fracture and a brain bleed.
Ryan R. Lynch, 23, appeared in Clark County Superior Court on suspicion of hit and run with injuries. Judge David Gregerson ordered Lynch to wear an alcohol monitor if he is released. He is scheduled to be arraigned July 10.
Clark County sheriff’s deputies responded at 1:24 a.m. Saturday to Southeast 412th Avenue near Washougal River Road.
A Jeep Grand Cherokee, driven by Dominik Neff, was traveling south on 412th Avenue approaching Washougal River Road. Neff failed to negotiate a sharp turn where the advisory speed limit is 20 mph and crashed into a tree, according to a probable cause affidavit.
A witness told deputies Neff was standing in the street, looking at his Jeep, when he was struck by a Ford Ranger. Neff’s family later told deputies he suffered a skull fracture and a minor brain bleed, in addition to multiple lacerations, court records state.
A passenger in the pickup, Ozzy Ochoa, identified the driver as Lynch. He said they had been at a party and Lynch agreed to drive them home. Ochoa said Lynch was heavily intoxicated, and Lynch drove away from the crash, the affidavit states.
Ochoa said he and another passenger in the pickup, Nikolas Lee, convinced Lynch to return to the crash scene. When they returned, Ochoa said he and Lee got out of the truck, but Lynch drove away again without leaving any contact or insurance information, according to court records.
Defense attorney John Terry contacted deputies later that afternoon on behalf of Lynch. Terry told deputies Lynch was in Longview and would remain where he was until deputies arrived to arrest him, the affidavit states.
Deputies arrested him at about 6:30 p.m., and seized his vehicle as evidence. Deputies said they observed scrape marks on the lower front of the truck.
