Suspect in chain-reaction crash that hurt man in yard charged in Port Angeles

PORT ANGELES, Wash. — A Port Angeles man is facing several charges in connection with a chain-reaction crash that ended up hurting a man who was working in a yard last week.

On Thursday, Sept. 19, at 9:45 a.m., officers were dispatched to a report of a car crash near Laurel and Viewcrest in Port Angeles.

They discovered that the driver of a Honda CRV, heading south on Laurel, hit an empty parked Toyota pickup. The force of the crash propelled the pickup into a nearby yard, where it struck a construction worker.

Though the Honda was badly damaged, its driver continued ahead briefly until his car shut down. Forced to abandon the Honda, the driver ran away but was arrested near City Lights Place.

As police investigated, they found what appeared to be fentanyl and drug paraphernalia for its use.

The driver, identified as 39-year-old Ryan S. Chesley, had a warrant for driving with a suspended license and he appeared to be under the influence when he crashed, according to Port Angeles Police.

He was booked into Clallam County Jail on $10,000 bail.

He was charged on Tuesday with hit-and-run injury accident — a felony — driving while license suspended, DUI – drugs, and possession of fentanyl.

The construction worker who was hit by the Toyota pickup was able to drive himself to the hospital to be treated.

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