SPOKANE VALLEY — Spokane County authorities have finally released the name of the victim of a hit-and-run incident on Jan. 24.
Maegen Engh, 46, of Spokane Valley, died of her injuries in an area hospital on Feb. 13, according to the Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office. She had been in the hospital since being struck by a Jeep.
The Medical Examiner’s Office has yet to release the exact cause of her death.
The driver of the Jeep, John R. Townshed, 64, of Spokane Valley, was arrested for hit-and-run injury and remains in the Spokane County Jail on $25,000 bail.
He is also facing charges of theft and second-degree retail theft with special circumstances.
His total bail is $27,750, jail records show.
The Spokane County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is reviewing whether to elevate the charge related to Engh’s death to hit-and-run causing death.
Townshend was arrested Jan. 29 in connection with the crash in the 5200 block of East Broadway Avenue, records show.
Deputies were called to the area after a vehicle – later identified as a Jeep – struck a woman, records show. On Jan. 25, they located a 2014 Jeep Wrangler with damage in the parking lot of Rodeway Inn, 6309 E. Broadway Ave.
“The damage had a unique design that was immediately recognized as appearing to match the parts located at the collision scene,” according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies traced the Jeep to Townshend, records show, noting they located him Jan. 29 at the Trent Resource Center, 4320 E. Trent Ave., an address he had previously used as a home address.
At about 7 p.m., Townshend arrived in the Jeep and was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant, records show. The Jeep was impounded.
Following his arrest, Townshend allegedly admitted to being near the crash scene at about 7:45 p.m. Jan. 24, records show. He allegedly told deputies he was eastbound on Broadway Avenue, saw the victim and swerved to avoid her, but clipped her.
Townshend said he turned around to look for her, but that she had run off, records show.
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