A 63-year-old Lakewood man is facing injury hit-and-run and vehicular assault charges after Longview police say he ran a red light, struck a pedestrian walking across a sidewalk along Ocean Beach Highway, and drove off without stopping. The crash happened Monday, and the victim was taken to a hospital for treatment, though his current condition has not been released.
Randy Chalupa was arrested in connection with the crash, according to KATU. Longview police said the victim was walking across the sidewalk when a vehicle ran the red light, hit him, and fled the scene. Officials are still investigating whether impairment played a role in the crash, per the station's report.
Police credited several agencies for assisting with the investigation, including the Longview Fire Department, Kelso Police, Cowlitz County Sheriff's Office deputies, and Washington State Patrol Trooper Dakota Russell, the outlet noted. Longview police also said this marked their second hit-and-run investigation in as many days.
A Second Hit-and-Run in Two Days
Earlier that Monday, Longview police booked 41-year-old Jacob North of Battle Ground around 4:13 a.m. after he allegedly drove his car into a home on 15th Avenue and then fled the scene, Hoodline previously reported. That arrest is the incident Longview police referenced when describing the Ocean Beach Highway crash as their second hit-and-run investigation in as many days. It was not the first time this year a Longview driver fled after crashing into a residence — in September, police arrested a driver who nearly hit a house before fleeing in a Hummer.
What Chalupa Could Be Facing Under Washington Law
Under RCW 46.61.522, vehicular assault is classified as a Class B felony in Washington, carrying up to 10 years in state prison and a maximum fine of $20,000, according to the Revised Code of Washington. According to the Beckwith Law Group, vehicular assault requires substantial injury plus either serious disregard for others' safety or impairment; reckless driving may be charged additionally. The law defines substantial bodily harm as broken bones, internal organ impairment, or substantial temporary disfigurement. Minor cuts or bruises generally would not meet that threshold.
Separately, fleeing the scene of a crash that results in personal injury is a Class C felony under RCW 46.52.020, carrying up to five years in prison, a $10,000 fine, and a mandatory one-year driver's license revocation, according to a legal analysis of Washington hit-and-run law. Washington law elevates a hit-and-run to a felony whenever any physical injury occurs, regardless of how minor.
Local Courts Have Taken a Hard Line
In January, a Cowlitz County Superior Court judge sentenced a 33-year-old DoorDash driver to 41 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to felony hit-and-run resulting in death for striking a pedestrian near 11th Avenue and Washington Way in Longview, according to The Daily Chronicle.
Ocean Beach Highway's Recent Safety Record
Monday's crash adds to a string of dangerous incidents along the same corridor. A related rollover in the 4000 block of Ocean Beach Highway hospitalized four people, with alcohol suspected, Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG News reported.
Visibility along the broader corridor has also drawn scrutiny. In February, the Washington State Department of Transportation began replacing lighting on the Peter Crawford Bridge along Ocean Beach Highway between Longview and Kelso with a brighter, pedestrian-focused system after more than 300 residents cited poor visibility as a primary safety concern, per the same station's report. Nationally, roughly 76 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur in dark lighting conditions and 73 percent happen at non-intersection locations, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.
As Chalupa's case moves forward, officials have not said whether impairment contributed to Monday's crash, and the pedestrian's condition remains unreported.
