ONALASKA, Wash. — Joseph Rogerson wore shackles as he was charged with driving under the influence in connection with a crash that killed three teenagers and injured several more near Onalaska.
“This guy injured a lot of kids, including me,” said Chris Woods, one of the teens hurt in the crash “I was lucky. Other people were not so lucky.”
The Washington State Patrol says the 36-year-old Rogerson's van collided head on with an SUV carrying eight teenagers on State Route 508 west of Onalaska just before 9:57 p.m. The WSP says both vehicles crossed the center line before the crash.
“The exact cause of the collision is unknown at this time,” said Lewis Chief Criminal Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Brad Meagher.
Meagher said an investigation by the Washington State Patrol could lead to charges of vehicular homicide. That investigation could take weeks to complete.
The crash killed the SUV's driver, Arnold Mullinax, 18, along with a 13-year-old girl whose name hasn't been released. Another passenger, Dakota Dunivin, 18, died of his injuries Tuesday afternoon at Harborview Medical Center.
KIRO 7 spoke with Woods outside Harborview minutes after Dunivin died.
“What I remember is seeing headlights, feeling the collision, and rolling a few times,” Woods said. “I dove out of the car and was grabbing people out of the car until paramedics arrived.”
Rogerson pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving under the influence in Lewis County District Court on Tuesday. His wife, who was with him in the van, was not hurt.
Curt Pannkuk brought his daughters to the crash site Tuesday so they could lay flowers along the roadside.
“The kids all know each other, they all go to school together,” Pannkuk said. “It hit my family pretty hard,” he added, fighting back tears.
All the teens involved were from Onalaska. Pannkuk says the crash is painful for the small town of about 4,000 people.
“It affects us a lot. One of the girls played volleyball last night at the volleyball game in Napavine. I believe she’s one of them that we lost last night.”
“We have dead children,” said Ray Schrader, a father figure to several of the teens involved. “This man has ruined the lives of not just one or two families; there were eight children in that car and they are going to be traumatized for the rest of their lives.”
KIRO
