A woman is facing criminal charges in Lewis County Superior Court for allegedly driving under railroad crossing arms and parking her car on the train tracks in Chehalis, causing the car to be hit by a train, while she was intoxicated in December 2023.

In addition to a felony malicious injury to railroad property charge for allegedly damaging the railroad tracks, Shianne Rose Blankenship, 24, of Seattle, faces gross misdemeanor counts of DUI and interference with a healthcare facility. 

The charges were filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Jan. 8, 2024, at which time Blankenship was issued a summons for a Jan. 22 preliminary hearing, which she was present for. 

“She was here very early,” defense attorney Rachael Tiller said of Blankenship before stepping aside for Blankenship to represent herself Wednesday, saying, “She has made it very clear that she does not want my services today.”

The incident itself took place on Dec. 20, 2023, according to court documents and previous Chronicle reporting. 

Officers with the Chehalis Police Department responded to a report of “a possibly intoxicated woman complaining that she was almost hit by a train” in the 500 block of West Main Street at 11:10 p.m. on Dec. 20, according to court documents and Chehalis call logs. 

BNSF reported the collision just after 11:15 p.m. on Dec. 20 and stopped all trains until the tracks were cleared. The tracks were reopened just before 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 21, according to previous Chronicle reporting.

When officers arrived at the scene, they reportedly found a vehicle registered to Blankenship on the tracks, with the driver’s side of the vehicle “wedged under a train.” Blankenship herself was located nearby. 

A railroad employee later told officers they “observed the vehicle go around the downed crossing arm and begin driving on the track.” 

After Blankenship told officers she was not in the vehicle when it was struck, she allegedly “took off running from the location,” according to court documents. 

Officers “were able to catch up with her and she was detained,” the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office states in charging documents. 

Blankenship was arrested for possible DUI and officers attempted to handcuff her, but she allegedly “continued to try and escape” and “accused the officers of trying to rape/kill her,” according to court documents. 

Officers reportedly placed Blankenship in a WRAP restraint system during transport to Providence Centralia Hospital, where she was allegedly “so disruptive to the hospital operations and combative with staff, she had to be sedated,” according to court documents. 

A blood test conducted at the hospital reportedly showed the presence of alcohol and cannabis in Blankenship’s blood at the time she arrived at the hospital, according to court documents. 

All parties agreed Wednesday to allow Blankenship to remain out of custody on $10,000 unsecured bail. Her conditions of release include a provision prohibiting her from consuming drugs or alcohol. 

Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 30.