A dramatic high-speed chase on September 14, 2018, in downtown Spokane ended with the alleged perpetrator crashing his car into a tree.
According to The Spokesman, this chase began at 6:30AM between Interstate 90 and US Highway 2. After a state trooper tried to stop a silver sedan, the sedan’s driver allegedly drove away on I-90 east at speeds well over 110 mph.
Apparently the driver lost control of his vehicle while he was getting off the Maple Street exit. This sent the sedan flying 15 feet in the air smashing into a pole, traffic sign, and, finally, a tree. After this crash, the sedan was turned upside down in a lot close to the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Maple.
Although the driver attempted to flee the scene on foot, police soon apprehended him. The sedan driver didn’t sustain serious injuries from this crash.
Police are still investigating the cause of this crash, but they believe DUI might have been a factor.
Speeding Crashes: A Major Issue In Modern America
Speeding remains one of the leading causes of death and injury on America’s roadways. A recent survey put together by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that speeding was the main cause of 112,580 traffic deaths between 2005 and 2014. That means speed-related crashes are over 30 percent of total traffic fatalities.
Amazingly, the number of people killed by DUI drivers is almost the same as those killed by speeding drivers. The NTSB found that 112,948 people were killed by alcohol-induced DUI within the same timeframe.
The NTSB hopes their research will lead to new public safety initiatives to warn Americans of the dangers of speeding. NTSB members want speeding to have a negative image in the media much like drunk driving already has.
To learn about how Spokane law enforcement handles speeding violations, please check out this link put together by Spokane County’s District Court.
