Two injured in head-on crash on Highway 99

Sheriff's deputies arrested a 51-year-old man late Monday night after he allegedly was in a two-car head-on crash in the 6700 block of Northeast Highway 99 in Hazel Dell, then hid in a room of a nearby motel for nearly two hours.

Vili Fifita of Vancouver was arrested on suspicion of DUI and felony hit-run driving involving two injuries, Sgt. John Horch with the Clark County Sheriff's Office said about 11:40 p.m. Monday.

A Beaverton man, Seong Kim, 52, in the other car was seriously hurt in the collision, but his injuries weren't life-threatening, Horch said. His female passenger, In Kim, 53, also of Beaverton suffered injuries that were less serious.

Both were released from Southwest Washington Medical Center this morning.

Deputies said the crash happened when Fifita was driving his Ford F250 north on Highway 99 and tried to turn in front of Kim's Toyota 4Runner. The two vehicles collided head-on.

Fifita then allegedly exited the pickup and ran off.

Rescuers with Fire District 6 and sheriff's deputies were called to the scene about 9:40 p.m., according to preliminary reports.


Firefighter-paramedics and deputies immediately called for two American Medical Response ambulances to rush to the scene with flashing lights and sirens activated.

Sheriff's deputies quickly brought a K-9 team to the scene, but said the dog was going in circles outside near the crash, possibly picking up no scent.

Deputies soon radioed that it was likely the man who ran off was hiding in a unit of the motel. Deputies knocked on all doors in an attempt to find him.

Police also had the name of the registered owner of the car the man fled from.

Horch said deputies spoke with occupants of Unit 6, but the Tongan Pacific Islander folks inside first said the man was not there.

However, Horch said, deputies looked up the registration of the car the suspect drove and noticed that the owner too has a Tongan name. The arrested man is Tongan, but doesn't own the car, Horch said.

When deputies returned to Unit 6 with stronger questions about 11:30 p.m., the occupants allowed them to enter. Deputies then found Fifita hiding in a back room, Horch said.

Fifita had no visible injuries, but was to be checked at a hospital before being taken to jail, Horch said.