A Woodland man was sentenced Tuesday to 12½ years in prison for a May drunken-driving crash that killed one person and injured another who had stopped to help another driver on Interstate 5.
Guadalupe V. Munoz, 45, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court to vehicular homicide. A charge of vehicular assault was dismissed as a part of his plea agreement.
The agreed-upon, high-end sentence included four years for Munoz’s two prior DUI convictions. His blood-alcohol level following the May crash was 0.17, according to Senior Deputy Prosecutor Jessica Smith. In Washington, a blood-alcohol level of 0.08 is considered evidence of drunken driving.
Jessica M. Blinebry, 42, and Casey J. Blinebry, 39, both of Vader, had stopped to help an elderly man who crashed on I-5 north near Milepost 17 about 10 p.m. May 24. As crews from Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue provided aid, Munoz’s Nissan pickup struck a fire truck, veered into the guardrail and struck the Blinebrys. A firefighter tackled the elderly man, likely saving him from also being struck, Smith said.
It took first responders some time to find Jessica Blinebry, but when they did, the prosecutor said, she was pronounced dead.
Smith described the incident as traumatic for the victims and first responders on the scene.
Casey Blinebry told Judge Suzan Clark that he has lasting health effects from the crash. He also described the emotional impact of the incident as “one of the worst traumas of my life.”
He also noted the impact his wife’s death had on the community and her involvement in the local Chamber of Commerce, charitable organizations and churches in their community northeast of Castle Rock.
Munoz’s defense attorney, Jon McMullen, said Munoz had previously failed to complete alcohol treatment. He said Munoz is remorseful for his actions.
Munoz apologized to the victims’ family and asked for their forgiveness.
The judge noted Jessica Blinebry died while trying to help someone, and Munoz could’ve killed Casey Blinebry or the first responders on the scene, too. She told Munoz he needs to deal with his addiction “before you hurt anyone else.” She said she’d sentence him to twice the recommended high-end sentence, if she could.
“I’ll follow the recommendation because it’s as high as I can go under the law,” Clark said. “Folks, I couldn’t be more sorry for your loss.”
