A woman accused of hitting a motorcycle, injuring its two riders, and fleeing the scene of the crash in Chehalis on Sunday is now facing a felony vehicular assault charge in Lewis County Superior Court.
The driver of a silver Chevrolet Equinox, who was later identified as Susan R. Kay, 47, of Napavine, allegedly struck the motorcycle after she failed to yield at the intersection of Southwest Interstate Avenue and Southwest Parkland Drive at approximately 6:50 p.m. on Aug. 14, according to the Chehalis Police Department's call log.
Both of the motorcycle’s riders were transported to a local hospital with injuries, including one broken ankle.
Two witnesses reportedly called law enforcement and followed Kay’s vehicle as it drove away from the scene.
At one point, Kay reportedly stopped her vehicle to talk to the witnesses, who told her she had hit a motorcycle. Kay reportedly claimed “she did not hit anyone” before getting back into her vehicle and continuing to drive.
An officer with the Chehalis Police Department found the vehicle, which was being driven by a woman who “appeared to be using a cell phone,” at the intersection of Southeast Main Street and South Market Boulevard, according to court documents. The officer then pulled in front of the vehicle to prevent it from leaving and identified Kay as the driver.
The officer reportedly “detected a faint odor of intoxicants inside the vehicle” and when Kay exited the vehicle, she reportedly “lost her balance” and “walked into the roadway, and had to be redirected to the sidewalk.”
Unprompted, Kay reportedly said “she did not hit anyone and that the damage to her vehicle was caused by her son.” Kay reportedly refused to complete voluntary field sobriety tests at the scene and was placed under arrest and transported to a facility where she could provide blood alcohol content (BAC) samples. The results of those samples all came back with BAC readings between .157 and .163, according to court documents.
Kay was booked into the Lewis County Jail just before 8:23 p.m. on Aug. 14 and has since been charged in Lewis County Superior Court with one count each of vehicular assault and hit-and-run to an attended vehicle. She has not been charged for driving under the influence.
Kay was released from the Lewis County Jail Monday evening following her preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court.
