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Ariel man accused of vehicular assault in La Center

He allegedly ran over a passenger exiting his vehicle while intoxicated

By Paris Achen
Published: October 13, 2014, 5:00pm

An Ariel man appeared in Clark County Superior Court on Monday on suspicion of operating a pickup truck while intoxicated and running over a passenger as she left the vehicle. The incident allegedly took place outside a home in La Center.

Kelly C. Wenger, 18, faces charges of vehicular assault and being a minor in possession of alcohol. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges Friday.

Judge John Nichols held Wenger on Monday in lieu of $25,000 bail and appointed Vancouver attorney Neil Cane to defend him.

The passenger, Sabrina Mills, 21, dislocated her hip when the pickup struck her early Saturday and will have to undergo medical rehabilitation, according to a court affidavit by Clark County sheriff’s Detective Chris Luque.

Deputy Prosecutor Julie Carmena said Wenger had a pending driving under the influence charge in Cowlitz County at the time of the incident.

His father reported that Wenger has an alcohol problem. His mother died one year ago, and Wenger isn’t coping well, according to court documents.

La Center police Officer Jason Perkins responded to the La Center home, 130 W. 10th St., at about 4:35 a.m. When he arrived, he saw Mills lying on the sidewalk in front of the house. Wenger was waiting in the pickup’s driver’s seat. Perkins said Wenger’s speech was slurred, and he smelled like alcohol, according to the affidavit.

Wenger said he, his friend, Dillon Beckwith, and Mills were returning from a party, the affidavit says.

Witness Paige Amery said she had been helping Mills out of the pickup when Mills fell and the vehicle rolled forward and ran over Mills.

Wenger took a Breathalyzer test about two and a half hours after emergency responders were summoned to the scene. His blood alcohol content was 0.143, according to the affidavit. The legal limit for drivers 21 and older is 0.08.

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