A Vancouver man was sentenced Friday to more than 16 years in prison for a 2022 deadly drunken-driving crash in central Vancouver.
Neios Soien, 41, pleaded guilty last month in Clark County Superior Court to vehicular homicide, attempt to elude a pursuing police vehicle, DUI and hit-and-run.
Judge Jennifer Snider sentenced Soien to 194 months, which was at the top of his standard sentencing range. Court records show he has three prior DUI convictions.
The daughter of the victim, Darrell G. Shoote, 58, of Vancouver, wrote a statement to the court that her family has struggled to cope with her father’s death.
At 1:42 a.m. Dec. 11, 2022, a Vancouver police officer attempted to stop the driver of a Nissan Pathfinder at East 18th Street and General Anderson Avenue because the officer suspected the driver was impaired, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
The driver, later identified as Soien, stopped briefly for the officer before speeding away. A Honda Accord traveling south on Brandt Road was in the intersection with 18th Street when Soien failed to stop at a stop sign and crashed into it, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Soien then ran from the car before the officer caught up to him and arrested him, court records state.
The driver of the Honda, Shoote, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the affidavit.
Soien was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries, the affidavit states.
The officer stated he believed Soien was traveling about 60 mph when he collided with the Honda.
The sheriff’s office’s Traffic Homicide Unit responded to investigate the crash.
Deputies observed significant damage to the Honda’s driver’s side that the affidavit states is consistent with a car traveling at highway speeds at the time of a crash. The Nissan had significant front-end damage.
Deputies noted the odor of alcohol coming from Soien and said he showed signs of impairment during a sobriety test at the hospital. His blood was also sent to the state crime lab for toxicology testing, court records state.
In an interview with police, Soien said he knew the officer was trying to pull him over, but he didn’t stop because he didn’t want to get in trouble, according to court records.
Soien’s driving record showed his license was suspended, and he was required to have an ignition interlock device on his vehicle; the Nissan did not have the device, the affidavit states.
