RICHLAND, Wash. — A wrongful death lawsuit was filed against a Washington State Trooper who was driving while impaired.
35-year-old off-duty trooper Sarah Clasen is accused of hitting and killing 20-year-old Jhoser Vega-Sanchez earlier this month on State Route 240 in Richland.
Richland Police said Clasen declined a field sobriety test after the crash. Clasen also had slurred speech, disorganized statements and glassy eyes.
Clasen was placed on leave from WSP and was charged with vehicular manslaughter for Vega-Sanchez’s death. Richland Police also determined Clasen was impaired at the time of the crash.
The lawsuit says, “Clasen’s failure to exercise ordinary care and to obey Washington law proximately caused injuries, damages, harms and losses to the Plaintiffs in an amount to be determined at trial.”
Clasen had been with WSP for 14 years when put on leave from the Yakima field office.
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