Police Department

Wellesley and Assembly Single Vehicle Collision

Cpl. Ronald Van Tassel

Monday, February 24, 2020 at 1:58 p.m.

In the early morning hours of February 23, 2020 Officers responded to Wellesley and Assembly for a single vehicle collision. Officers responded and found that there was significant damage to the car and two of the passengers were critically injured. Officers processed the scene and later arrested the driver of the vehicle for several charges related to this incident.

On February 23, 2020, just after 2 am a Spokane Police Officer was at Garland and Ash. He witnessed a vehicle traveling west on Garland at such a fast speed that it looked like a blur, he estimated the speeds of the vehicle at least 80 MPH. The Officer turned on his lights and tried to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was going so fast and was so far ahead that the Officer never got close enough to stop it. The vehicle turned north on Belt and the Officer lost sight of it.

Minutes later Police and Fire personnel were dispatched to Assembly and Wellesley for a collision. The initial reports into 911 indicated that people were trapped in the car and it was now on fire. By the time emergency crews arrived, the fire was out. The collision involved only the one vehicle, but it had hit a pole just passed the intersection. The damage to the vehicle was extensive and it appeared the vehicle was traveling at high speeds.

The two adult male passengers were trapped inside the vehicle and the Fire Department had to extricate both of them out. Both males were transported to the hospital in critical condition, both with life threatening injuries to include a partially amputated arm.

The driver of the vehicle, 21 year old Daryn White received minor injuries from the collision. Through the course of the investigation, Officers determined that White was driving the same vehicle that flew by the Officer at Garland and Ash. Officers also believed that White could be under the influence of alcohol. A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) was called to the scene to evaluate White. The DRE applied for and was granted a search warrant for a sample of Whites blood to determine the presence of alcohol or drugs.

White was released from the hospital a short time later. He was booked into the Spokane County Jail for 2 counts of vehicular assault. This charge applies when a driver is driving in a reckless manner or under the influence and there is significant injury to another person. He was charged for 2 counts because of the two people injured. White was also charged for eluding a Police vehicle for not pulling over when the initial Officer attempted to stop him at Garland and Ash.

This incident, like so many others in the community highlight the importance of getting a designated driver, a taxi or having other plans to get home other than driving impaired. Because of poor decisions made last night, two men will have life altering injuries. This incident would have been significantly worse if White had crashed into another vehicle and not a pole. Please, do not drink/do drugs and drive, the consequences can be severe.

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