Othello man arrested after attempting to flee traffic stop, crashes car
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 5 months, 2 weeks AGO
An Othello man received minor injuries while allegedly attempting to run away from a Washington State Patrol traffic stop Monday night.
FILE PHOTO
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | May 26, 2026 4:29 PM
OTHELLO — Charges of DUI, felony eluding and possession of a firearm are pending against an Othello man after he crashed his car while allegedly attempting to flee from a Washington State Patrol traffic stop late Monday night.
Cristian Torres, 20, was not seriously injured in the crash, said Jeremy Weber, District 6 public information officer for the Washington State Patrol. The crash occurred at about 10 p.m. Monday.
“He was stopped for DUI and then ran,” Weber said. “He didn’t make it too far.”
Torres was driving south on Barbara Road, about 1.5 miles west of Othello, according to a WSP press release. He allegedly turned onto Thacker Road at a high rate of speed, but lost control and drove off the road near the intersection of Thacker and Wind Hill Lane, the WSP release said. His car came to rest in the northbound ditch.
Weber said in the case of a DUI stop it’s better to just stop. Otherwise, drivers are putting themselves and others at risk.
“If you’ve been drinking and driving and you get pulled over, own up to the responsibility,” he said.
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