Teenager In Critical Condition After Rollover Crash Near Cheney - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Spokane County Sheriff's Department Press Release:

Friday night around 10:16 pm, Sheriff's deputies were called to the south 13700 block of Betz Rd (northwest of Cheney) for an injury rollover collision.  Upon arrival at the scene, deputies discovered a 2001 Nissan Pathfinder had rolled off the roadway and came to rest several feet out into a wheat field.

Present on scene were six teenagers who were riding in the Nissan, two of which had been ejected during the rollover.  One of the ejected occupants, a 17-year-old female, was critically hurt and flown to a local hospital by Northwest MedStar.  Due to the serious injuries sustained in the crash, sheriff's traffic investigators were called to the scene.

All of the remaining teen occupants were transported to local hospitals for treatment.  During their investigation, traffic investigators learned the driver of the Nissan, a 16-year-old male, had recently been smoking marijuana.  Additionally, marijuana was found in the vehicle.  Roadway evidence found at the scene suggested the vehicle was traveling above the speed limit at the time of the collision.

The 16-year-old male was arrested at the hospital for vehicular assault and a blood draw was obtained.  The blood samples will be sent to the state toxicology laboratory in Seattle for analysis, which is an approximate 6-week process.  The one ejected female teen remains in critical condition in the ICU of a local hospital.  The other occupants received minor injuries.

Betz Rd was closed for about five hours last night while traffic investigators documented the scene.  The investigation into the crash continues.  While Washington voters passed Initiative 502 earlier this week, this collision is a grim reminder that drugs and driving can have disastrous results.