A Randle man who drove over an embankment on Forest Road 73 northwest of Morton just after 6:20 p.m. on Sunday — injuring himself and two passengers — has been charged with vehicular assault and driving under the influence.
Jeremy Paul Ashe Jr., 22, reportedly failed to negotiate a turn on the dirt road and caused the vehicle to go over the embankment, according to documents filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday.
Aid crews immediately responded, followed shortly by deputies with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
When deputies arrived, Ashe was receiving treatment inside an ambulance and the aid crew was working to extricate one of the two passengers from the wreckage. The extricated passenger sustained a “deep laceration to her forehead” and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
The second passenger, who was also the registered owner of the vehicle, suffered a “large contusion” to his forehead.
According to court documents, he told deputies he had been driving earlier in the evening but said there came a point “he felt too intoxicated” and, since he “believed Ashe was in better condition to drive,” he had Ashe take over driving duties.
He reportedly told deputies all three of the vehicle’s occupants had been drinking.
When questioned by deputies, Ashe allegedly admitted to drinking Twisted Teas, which contain 5% alcohol by volume, and having “several shots of alcohol” prior to driving on Oct. 9. A portable breath test taken at the scene of the crash resulted in a reading of 0.162, which is over twice the legal limit of .08.
Results of a blood sample taken at the hospital the night of the crash were pending as of Monday, according to court documents.
Ashe was booked into the Lewis County Jail just after 12:10 a.m. on Oct. 10 and has since been charged with one count each of vehicular assault, a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and driving under the influence, a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 364 days in prison.
While Deputy Prosecutor Will Halstead requested Ashe’s bail be set at $25,000 secured due to the violence of the alleged offense and the involvement of alcohol, and defense attorney Rachael Tiller asked for Ashe to be released on $25,000 unsecured bail due to his lack of felony history, Judge James Lawler opted to set Ashe’s bail at $10,000 secured Monday.
Ashe’s conditions of release, should he post bail, include a provision that he not consume alcohol or drugs for the duration of his court case.
Tiller advised Monday that Ashe “completely understands and can abide” by those conditions.
Ashe’s next court appearance is an arraignment hearing scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 13.
