Intoxication suspected in two-car crash near Battle Ground

Investigators say a driver who ran a stop sign, causing a two-car crash Monday near Battle Ground that seriously injured a 17-year-old boy, may have been under the influence of intoxicants.

The driver was identified Wednesday as Tania M. Kohlman, 53, of Brush Prairie. No formal charges have been filed against Kohlman, pending the outcome of the investigation, according to a press release from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies obtained a sample of her blood for examination by the state toxicology lab.

The driver of the other vehicle, identified as Dennis I. Marchenko, was knocked unconscious and transported to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. A hospital spokesman said Wednesday he had since been treated and released.

Marchenko’s older sister, Dina Pipchenko, said in a phone interview Tuesday her brother suffered a fractured collarbone and was having memory issues.

“He’ll recover, but he’s obviously in a lot of pain,” she said.

Fire personnel, EMS and deputies responded at 6:43 a.m. to the intersection of Northeast 199th Street and Northeast 167th Avenue, where callers reported a crash with serious injuries, according to a sheriff’s office news release. Two vehicles were off the side of the road at the intersection.

Witnesses reported an orange Mazda sedan, driven by Kohlman, was eastbound on Northeast 199th Street and failed to stop for the stop sign at the intersection.

The Mazda collided in the intersection with a blue Volkswagen sedan, driven by Marchenko, that was southbound.

The first deputy to arrive at the scene saw Kohlman attempting to leave and detained her. She did not cooperate with the deputy, who observed signs of possible impairment. Kohlman was taken to a local hospital with minor injuries. She has since been released, the sheriff’s office said.

Both vehicles were severely damaged; the damage indicated the Mazda was traveling at a sustained speed when the cars collided, the sheriff’s office said. The intersection is controlled from four directions by stop signs and red flashing lights.

Source: https://www.columbian.com