A man accused of crashing his vehicle into a ditch and injuring his passenger while driving drunk in Napavine on Sunday is facing multiple felony charges in Lewis County Superior Court.
An officer with the Napavine Police Department and a deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office responded to the collision in the 1200 block of Rush Road on Sunday, March 19, and found a gray Acura MDX sports utility vehicle in a ditch on the east side of the roadway, across from Newaukum Valley Road.
The officers observed “obvious front-end damage to the vehicle” and the front windshield on the passenger’s side was “severely cracked,” with damage that “appeared consistent with (the passenger) striking the windshield” when the car crashed, according to court documents.
The passenger reportedly had “obvious injuries” to his face and “was complaining of glass being lodged in his face.” The passenger was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital for treatment, where doctors learned the passenger’s elbow was broken, according to court documents.
The driver, identified as J. Patrick Farr, 30, of Olympia, told law enforcement he was stopped at a stop sign on Newaukum Valley Road about to turn left onto Rush Road, but said he “misjudged” the speed of another vehicle traveling north on Rush Road and pulled out too soon. “He then decided to drive straight into the ditch to avoid the collision,” according to court documents.
While speaking with Farr, the Napavine officer reported he “immediately detected the strong odor of intoxicants emitting from Farr’s person,” according to court documents. The officer noted additional signs of impairment, including bloodshot and watery eyes and slurred speech. Farr additionally exhibited a “rollercoaster of emotion” that the officer said “was consistent with excessive alcohol consumption,” according to court documents.
Farr allegedly admitted to drinking three 16-ounce beers, each with a 5% alcohol by volume (ABV) value.
The injured passenger later told law enforcement Farr “was intoxicated and stated it was the drunkest he had ever seen him,” adding that he believed Farr consumed “a six pack of beer before driving,” according to court documents.
Farr reportedly refused to submit a breath sample, prompting the officer to obtain a search warrant for blood samples. The results of those samples were still pending when the prosecutor’s office filed vehicular assault, violation of ignition interlock and third-degree driving with a suspended or revoked license charges against Farr on Monday.
“There are a lot of concerns about Mr. Farr’s case,” said Judge Joely Yeager during Farr’s preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday. Yeager specifically referenced Farr’s criminal history, which includes 20 prior warrants, two active warrants and one pending case out of Thurston County.
Yeager ultimately set Farr’s bail at $50,000 with a requirement that, if Farr posts bail, he obtains a transdermal alcohol monitoring bracelet, called a SCRAM CAM, from the jail before he is released.
Farr’s arraignment hearing is scheduled for Thursday, March 23.
