A glamorous trooper of the state of Washington who made a name for himself that encouraged local drivers to stay aware behind the wheel was arrested after she reportedly beat a motorcyclist and killed under the influence of alcohol.
Sarah Clasen, 35, a public information officer for the Washington State Patrol, was taken into custody on Saturday evening, shortly after the police officers of Richland responded on the scene of Staatsroute 240 near Horn Rapids, Komo News reports.
Officers had received a phone call about a motorcyclist who was beaten around 19.40 in the vicinity of a residential area, but according to Kima TV, were the second to get to the scene, behind the Washington State Patrol.
There they found motorcyclist Jhoser Sanchez, 20, deadly injured.
First Responders transferred him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced later, reports the Tri-City Herald.
When Troopers later heard that Clasen was one of their own, the Washington State Patrol handed over the investigation to the local police, who arrested her and booked her in Benton County's prison.
Richland's police requested that she was being held in prison on a 72 -hour hold for the murder of vehicles.
She was off-duty at the time of the crash and rode her personal vehicle, WSP chef John Batiste noticed.
Sarah Clasen, 35, a public information officer for the Washington State Patrol, was arrested on Saturday evening after she reportedly beat a motorcyclist and killed them under the influence of alcohol
Richland police officers received a phone call about a motorcyclist who was beaten at the State Route 240 near Horn Rapids at about 19.40 hours
In a sworn explanation obtained by the Tri-City Herald, Richland police officer Steve Heid claimed that Clasen smelled alcohol when he interviewed her about the collision.
He detailed how classden claimed that she was on her way home after she picked up Pizza from Domino's and turned left in the neighborhood.
Allegedly she said she saw a single light, probably from the motorcycle, but believed it was a car that missed a headlight.
Only when she made her turn that she felt the collision that she said it seemed to have come out of nowhere, according to the statement.
“Sarah told me that the motorcyclist certainly went faster than the posted speed limit,” wrote and noted that the damage to Clasen's SUV does not match her story.
She said she said that she was almost finished making turn when the crash took place, but most of the damage was at the judge for passenger corners of the vehicle.
“She would have just begun to turn at the time of impact,” Heid wrote.
“The motorcycle was also almost completely under the front of her vehicle while it rested on the side of the highway.”
The crash comes just over a year after Clasen had urged the public to be more attentive when they drive in the midst of an increase in accidents.
The officer continued to write that he believed that Clasen had an unobstructed image of oncoming traffic and “an attentive driver could have seen the motorcyclist before the collision.”
When he then asked Clasen to perform austerity tests or to submit to a Breathalyzer test, she refused.
When she asked her a second time, Clasen reportedly said that she 'knows how it works'.
Clasen then asked Clasen for clarity, which she reportedly called a hypothetical situation with a glass of wine.
“I responded right now by asking her if she had a glass of wine earlier,” Heid wrote. “Sarah told me she wouldn't answer that question.”
The crash comes just over a year after Clasen had urged the public to be more attentive when they drive in the midst of an increase in collisions.
She wrote the increase in crashes in an interview with NBC at the moment as 'speed, too closely, distracted and of course is affected.'
The Trooper said the bottom line is to just pay attention.
“I know it is easy to be distracted by mobile phones, radios or residents in your vehicle,” she said at the time.
Then she insisted on the public to stay alert and that the most important thing is to do. Keep you and the people around you safe. '
WSP -Chef John Batiste promised that the State Patrille will fully collaborate with the research
Clasen was released on her own recognition on Monday evening, against Benton County Officer Eric Eisinger, as Benton County Superior Court Judge said she is convinced that the Trooper will make her court data, according to Aiden Whitaker, a reporter for Kepr Action News.
But as part of her release, Clasen is obliged to wear a bracelet of the blood alcohol monitor and to install an inflammatory locking device on her car.
She was also placed with the Washington State Patrol with administrative leave after 14 years.
“The Washington State Patrol offers our sincere condolences to the victim and their loved ones,” Chief Batiste said in a statement on Monday.
“I am confident that the Richland Police Department will investigate this case with great care and professionalism.”
He also gratefully expressed that there were no further injuries and promised that the state patrol will fully work with the investigation.
“We are reminded in times when these are that law enforcement officers are not immune to tragedy nor of personal responsibility and we urge all motorists to always drive with focus, care and caution.”
Clasen is back in court on 12 March.
