Portland police Officer Sarah Kerwin had just finished her patrol shift early Sunday and was on her way home when she witnessed a two-car fatal crash on Southeast Stark Street.
She saw a beige Buick Century driving westbound on Stark, and approach the intersection of Southeast 122nd Avenue with its headlights off about 1:40 a.m.. Kerwin told investigators that she believed the Buick ran a red light before colliding with a silver Mercury Sable, which was making a left turn from eastbound Stark Street onto northbound 122nd Avenue, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Kerwin saw the driver of the Buick attempt to run from the crash scene, but Kerwin ran from her vehicle and stopped her, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Lashai Antoinette Williams, the 20-year-old driver, was arraigned in Multnomah County Circuit Court Monday afternoon on allegations of second-degree manslaughter, driving while under the influence of intoxicants, failure to perform the duties of a driver to an injured person, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another , second-degree criminal mischief and interfering with a police officer.
Williams had difficulty standing up at the scene, and was described as "very slow and lethargic," police said in the affidavit. A traffic officer also noted an odor of alcohol on Williams' breath and bloodshot glassy eyes. She failed the field sobriety test, the affidavit said.
Police said the crash resulted in the death of the passenger in the Mercury Sable, 28-year-old Billie Dee Andrea Pugh. The injured driver was identified as 28-year-old Brandon Paul Pugh.
Copyright 2013 - The Oregonian, Portland, Ore.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
