Washougal, Washington – Two People Died from Injuries After Hit-and-Run

Washougal, Washington (June 25, 2019) – Two people died of their injuries after being run over by a car at a beach beside the Washougal River on Tuesday afternoon. The victims, a man and a woman, were both taken to the hospital, but one died shortly after arrival, and the other was pronounced dead 20 minutes later. The victims were German nationals whose identities are expected to be released sometime this week.

The suspect, David Croswell of Washougal, was caught later on the same day. According to the report, Croswell was driving a Jeep and crashed through the chain-link fence at the west side of the park, and drove over the victims as they were lying on the beach. According to witnesses, the suspect did not slow down as he left east on Shepherd Road. Police believe that the suspect and the victims did not know each other. Croswell will be facing a charge of vehicular homicide and and police have said that additional charges will be likely.

About Pedestrian Accidents

We offer our sympathies and compassion for the friends and loved ones of the victims. Unfortunately, as shown in this case, pedestrians are at also risk while on the streets, with the National Center for Health Statistics estimating 7, 450  pedestrian deaths in 2017. Pedestrian accidents can fall under traffic or non-traffic depending on the location where they were struck. Traffic incidents happen on public roads, while non-traffic incidents occur on non-traffic areas such as driveways, parking lots and other private property. Most pedestrian deaths occur in urban settings, on urban roads (72%) versus on intersections (18%), and mostly at night. Much like motorcycle accidents, pedestrian accidents can happen simply because people are not as visible as other vehicles, a problem which is worse during night. And in an event of a car crash, similar to motorcycle drivers and passengers, the risk to pedestrians are greater than those inside a car, with fatality rate being 1.5 times greater than any car passenger.When it comes to risk, older adults, children, and alcohol-impaired drivers or pedestrians are at most risk in pedestrian accidents. The risk is further heightened in a situation where a vehicle is at high speed. Lately, distractions also cause accidents not only for drivers, but also pedestrians, specifically those who are using their phones while crossing the road. We urge everyone to exercise area awareness at all times and to keep their attention on the road. Avoiding accidents not only prevents loss, damage, injuries and death to one’s self, but also on other people in the surroundings.

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