A 34-year-old woman was killed and a 43-year-old man was critically injured after a Jeep ran a red light, collided with another vehicle and flipped into a crosswalk at NE Andresen Road and NE Van Mall Drive in Vancouver, Washington, late Monday night. Police arrested the Jeep's driver, 26-year-old Noah Merchant, on suspicion of DUI, vehicular homicide, vehicular assault and reckless driving.
The crash happened around 9:45 p.m. on October 5, according to the City of Vancouver. Police said a Toyota RAV4 traveling westbound on NE Van Mall Drive had a green light when it was struck by Merchant's Jeep, which was heading southbound on NE Andresen Road and ran a red light. The impact caused the Jeep to flip and slam into two pedestrians who were crossing in the south crosswalk on NE Van Mall Drive with the signal in their favor.
The woman struck in the crosswalk, 34, was pronounced dead at the scene, the city said. The second pedestrian, a 43-year-old man, was taken to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Merchant was booked into Clark County Jail following his arrest.
Passenger Also Arrested
Merchant was not alone in the Jeep. A 20-year-old woman riding with him was arrested on suspicion of minor in possession, according to the city's account of the crash. The Vancouver Police Department Traffic Unit is continuing to investigate the collision, and Merchant was suspected of driving drunk.
Police arrested Merchant on suspicion of DUI. Police have not released the identities of the two pedestrians struck in the crosswalk.
Pattern Of Pedestrian Danger On Vancouver Roads
Monday's crash adds to a string of recent pedestrian collisions in the Vancouver area. Last month, a 55-year-old woman walking a dog was struck by an F-150 in a crosswalk at NE 137th Avenue and NE 99th Street, suffering serious injuries, according to Clark County Today. Statewide data from the Washington State Department of Transportation shows that from 2012 to 2021, 87% of pedestrian and bicyclist fatal crashes in the state occurred on roads with posted speed limits above 25 mph, underscoring the risks pedestrians face at busy intersections like Andresen and Van Mall.
For now, the investigation into Monday's fatal crash remains open, and the Traffic Unit has not released a final determination on the sequence of events beyond what officers reported at the scene.
