MEDICAL LAKE, Wash. – An 18-year-old man was arrested for vehicular assault after causing a crash in Medical Lake on Christmas Day that left another man hospitalized with possible life-threatening injuries.
On Dec. 25 around 4 a.m., Spokane County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a crash at the intersection of north Stanley Street and east Ladd Street in Medical Lake.
Based on their initial investigation, a silver Ford Sedan was traveling north on Stanley Street when the driver of a Ford F250 ran a stop sign while traveling east on Ladd Street, causing the crash.
The driver, identified as 18-year-old Luke Ruggiero, was believed to be under the influence as was traveling over the speed limit.
The victim was transported to the hospital and remains in stable condition with serious/life-threatening injuries.
Traffic Unit Investigators were called on scene to help continue the investigation.
Law enforcement advised Ruggiero of his rights when he admitted to drinking alcohol prior to this crash and he agreed to take a field sobriety test. During a preliminary breath test, it indicated that his BAC level was .107.
For an individual under the age of 21, the legal BAC limit is .02.
As deputies checked Ruggiero history, it showed that he had a previous DUI arrest in June 2022. They were then granted a search warrant to obtain a blood sample from Ruggiero for additional testing.
18-year-old Luke Ruggiero was transported and booked into Spokane County Jail and charged with vehicular assault.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. Check back for updates.
