One injured after car swerves into ditch during passenger argument

Published 5:09 pm Friday, January 28, 2011

A 37-year-old woman was taken to the hospital after a hit-and-run in East Bremerton Jan. 17 in which an angry passenger steered the car off the road and into a ditch.

Kitsap County Sheriff’s deputies found an abandoned vehicle on the embankment of Watson Court near Central Valley Road with a non-responsive woman laying in the back seat at 12:22 a.m., according to reports. She was taken to the hospital by medics.

A deputy later found a man and woman walking south on State Highway 303 and when he approached, the man ran east on William E. Sutton Road. The woman, a 23-year-old who gave a false name and had three misdemeanor warrants, denied involvement in the collision, but had scrapes all over her arms. She was taken to the Kitsap County jail for investigation of her warrants.

The man who ran away, the 21-year-old driver of the vehicle, was found at the Daily Stop on State Highway 303. He initially told deputies his car was stolen at gun and knifepoint by the two women passengers, but later admitted he met them outside the China West Restaurant and agreed to give them a ride for $25. During the ride, the women got in an argument and the 23-year-old in the passenger seat yanked on the steering wheel, causing the car to swerve into the ditch.

Deputies forwarded charges to the prosecutor’s office for investigation of driving with a suspended license, negligent driving and hit and run.