Peter Sontrop Arrested in South Bowdish Road DUI Collision [Spokane Valley, WA]

Spokane Valley, WA (June 1, 2023) – On Sunday, the authorities arrested Peter Sontrop, 58, following a South Bowdish Road DUI collision.

Officers responded to a traffic crash scene at about 9:20 p.m. at the 3400 block area wherein a pedestrian was struck by potentially two vehicles.

Spokane Valley Fire and Sheriff’s Office deputies provided treatment to the injured woman and transported her to a local hospital that night.

Hours later, Sontrop, reported that his 2022 Toyota Tacoma was struck in a possible hit-and-run at about 12:15 a.m. on the 11300 block of East 29th Avenue, a few blocks away from the initial hit-and-run collision. 

Investigating officers identified some of the debris from the first crash belonging to a newer Toyota Tacoma pickup.

Responding deputies said Sontrop’s vehicle matched the description of the suspected hit-and-run vehicle which includes damage to the passenger’s side mirror. Sontrop’s vehicle also had damage consistent with a pedestrian collision.

Officers said Sontrop was unsteady on his feet and slurred his speech. He told the officers that he was asleep when he heard a collision and came outside to see what happened. The officers did not believe he was telling them the truth.

They asked Sontrop if he knew if his truck had been in a hit-and-run earlier that night, Sontrop denied he knows anything about the earlier collision.

“I might have hit someone and not known,” Sontrop told the officers. He said he was driving around earlier, though, he couldn’t say when or where.

The incident report said Sontrop agreed to a voluntary sobriety test and a breath test, which determined a result of about twice the legal limit.

Finally, the authorities arrested Peter Sontrop on suspicion of vehicular assault and felony hit-and-run. 

Moreover, the driver of the second vehicle that was also involved in the hit-and-run was cooperative with the officers and was not arrested.

The accident report said the victim in the Spokane Valley hit-and-run crash is still in serious condition.

This accident is a reminder to stay alert on the road while driving, and always aim high in steering, i.e. don’t make your steering adjustments based on what is directly in front of you, but rather what is down the road. For example, if the road is winding to the right, look as far into the turn as possible. This will improve your safety and make your turns smoother.

Also, it is crucial not to drink and drive.

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Precarious Times

While driving is essential for many in order to move about in their lives, it is one of the most dangerous activities performed daily. Thus, knowing what to do if you get involved in a motor vehicle accident is valuable.

Be a proactive driver, rather than a reactive one. Driving defensively prepares you for emergency situations.

During emergency situations, before anything else, seek medical attention if you have been hurt, keep calm and collected, and get to a safe place to prevent further damage or injury.
Next, file a police report or incident report by calling 911 and collecting as much information as possible.

Finally, hire an experienced personal injury attorney from Sweet Lawyers.

People You Can Depend On

We at Sweet Lawyers have 40 years of experience in the legal field. Our attorneys are dedicated to giving you our top-notch legal representation. Call us if you or a loved one are involved in an accident like this one. We have a free consultation hotline at (800) 674 7852 and 24/7 chat support via our website.