Grant County Fire District 8 Battalion Chief Doug Anderson was struck in the leg by a passing vehicle while working a crash scene near Mattawa Wednesday night, and the driver kept going without stopping. Authorities say the man was tracked down and arrested a short time later on suspicion of DUI, vehicular assault and hit-and-run.
Anderson and other firefighters were on scene at about 10:30 p.m. near the intersection of Road 24-SW and Road L-SW, where they were working to contain an oil spill from an earlier non-injury collision, according to the Wenatchee World. While crews were still at work on the oil spill, another vehicle drove into the scene, hitting Anderson in the leg before continuing on, as reported by Columbia Basin Herald.
Driver Identified, Later Detained by Mattawa Police
The driver has been identified as 33-year-old Mattawa resident Jorge Ramirez Suarez. The newspaper's report notes he kept going without stopping after striking Anderson. According to the Grant County Sheriff's Office, the 33-year-old driver was later detained by Mattawa police, as reported by KHQ.
Anderson sustained what was described as a minor leg injury and was treated at the scene by local emergency medical technicians, per the same account from the Wenatchee World. Ramirez Suarez was booked Thursday into the Grant County Jail on suspicion of hit-and-run, vehicular assault and DUI, the outlet reported.
A Nearly Three-Decade Career With GCFD 8
Anderson's connection to Grant County Fire District 8 goes back decades. He joined the department in 1998 as a volunteer firefighter, according to Columbia Basin Herald's report, and went on to hold leadership roles before rising to battalion chief.
As first reported by NewsRadio 560 KPQ, the incident has drawn attention to the risks first responders face while working roadside scenes. Under Washington law, vehicular assault is classified as a class B felony punishable under chapter 9A.20 RCW, according to the Washington State Legislature.
It remains unclear whether formal charges have been filed against Ramirez Suarez or how the case will proceed through the court system, as none of the available reporting has addressed the case's current status.
