Two people are facing criminal charges for their involvement in a hit-and-run that killed a family dog and injured a pedestrian east of Lacey on Saturday.
The male driver, whose name has not been released by law enforcement, has been booked into the Thurston County Jail for DUI, hit-and-run with injury and animal cruelty.
His wife has been referred on possible charges for allegedly providing false statements to law enforcement and trying to frame her 18-year-old son for the crime.
A man and his child were reportedly walking their dog in a neighborhood near Dutterow Road in Thurston County the evening of Saturday, April 25, when a large white truck swerved, struck the father with the mirror and then fatally struck the dog.
The truck fled the scene, according to Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders.
A neighbor provided video footage of the collision, and while a license plate was not visible, deputies were able to observe some unique characteristics of the truck, Sanders said in a social media post Saturday night.
Sanders reported that he was heading home from several community events “but conducted a U-turn to look for the truck.”
He located the truck at a residence, noting it was still warm from being driven, and saw that it had a cracked mirror and dog fur embedded in the bumper.
When questioned by deputies, a woman at the residence allegedly claimed that her 18-year-old son was the driver at the time of the hit-and-run.
After about 30 minutes of interviews, Sanders said, it was determined that the woman had instructed her 18-year-old son to “lie to the police and tell us that he (the son) was driving.”
Deputies ultimately determined that the woman’s husband, the son’s stepfather, was the driver. Sanders noted that the man “smelled strongly of alcohol.”
Deputies have obtained a blood sample from the suspect and a sample of the fur that was embedded in the truck bumper, as well as a sample from the dog for reference.
Deputies also discovered surveillance footage from the casino where the suspect was consuming alcohol just before the crash, according to Sanders.
“Deputies did a fantastic job managing this scene, obtaining statements, and collecting evidence from helpful neighbors,” Sanders wrote. “The victim is in stable condition and we are extremely heartbroken for him and his family.”
