One person is dead and five more were injured following a three-car accident on U.S. Highway 2 near Christensen Road three miles west of Airway Heights at 7:30 a.m. on Dec. 19.
Spokane resident Ryan Labreck’s Subaru Crosstrek was stopped in the left turn lane when it was struck by a 2002 Dodge Caravan driven by Thomas Aripa, 45. The Crosstrek was pushed into the eastbound lane, where it was hit by a Ford F350 pickup truck carrying two adults and two children. Labreck, 36, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Aripa, the driver of the pickup and all three pickup passengers were transported to Sacred Heart Hospital in Spokane to be treated for their injuries.
Labreck was a former airman with Fairchild Air Force Base’s 92nd Civil Engineering Squadron, according to a Fairchild spokesperson.
Aripa was allegedly intoxicated at the time of the crash, according to a press release from the Washington State Patrol (WSP). The cause of the accident is listed as driving under the influence. Aripa also has outstanding warrants for DUI and hit-and-run, according to WSP.
Court documents filed on Wednesday said that Aripa admitted to smoking marijuana prior to operating his vehicle that day and to snorting a line of methamphetamine the day before. Those same documents state that Aripa blew a 0.040 on an alcohol breath test and failed a field sobriety test, losing his balance several times.
Aripa has been charged with vehicular homicide and vehicular assault.
Shannen Talbot can be reached at [email protected].
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