Sarah Doxey was struck and killed by a car while jogging on South Perry Street in Spokane on Wednesday morning. Witnesses then watched as the suspect, a 17-year-old boy, fled the scene. An affidavit filed by Spokane Police Department reveals the sequence of events that followed, leading to the suspect’s arrest.
Witnesses say the suspect hit and killed Doxey at 5:31a.m., and crashed the vehicle he was driving into a tree nearby. He then took off on foot.
The suspect was then seen jumping the fence of Manito Country Club. There, he ran eastbound across the fairway before crossing Highway 195. He lost both shoes in the process.
About 25 minutes after the crash, police say they located the suspect in a wooded area off of South Meadow Lane Road and West Eagle Ridge Boulevard. In the affidavit, police say the suspect was bleeding, wet from the knees down and smelled strongly of alcohol. He agreed to, and failed, a field sobriety test.
It was noted that the suspect had bruising on his shoulder consistent with a seatbelt worn on the driver’s side of the car.
The affidavit also revealed that the suspect had an underage passenger in the car at the time of the crash, who admitted to being under the influence. The car is believed to belong to the passenger’s parents.
The suspect was arrested for Vehicular Assault, Felony Hit and Run and Driving Under the Influence. He was booked into the Spokane County Juvenile Detention Center.
The area of South Perry Street where Doxey was hit has a blind corner, no sidewalk and minimal streetlights.
“I saw that we really need a system around our communities that makes it safe for everyone to get around,” said Zappone. “Everyone should feel safe on our streets.”
Zappone says that he’s working with the Department of Transportation to create a system for residents to report dangerous areas on roadways. Right now, he says there’s no such system in place is Spokane.
“I encourage folks to contact their city council members,” Zappone said. “We’re collecting all of that information right now. Call 311, lodge a complaint, and those are right now being put into a database.”
