Trial delayed 3rd time for WA trooper accused in deadly Tri-Cities crash
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Trial for trooper in 2025 deadly crash moved again as missing evidence sought.
- Sarah Clasen charged with vehicular homicide; blood alcohol was 0.17% six hours later.
- Defense working with state to locate missing evidence as hearings are rescheduled.
The vehicular homicide trial of a Washington State Patrol trooper is being delayed again.
Sarah Clasen, 36, is accused of killing 20-year-old Jhoser Vega Sanchez in a crash while she was drunk in March 2025.
She was charged in September and scheduled to be in court on Wednesday, but her case was removed from the docket.
Last week, her attorney Scott Johnson told the Tri-City Herald that they were still working on the case. “With the assistance of our experts, we have identified some missing evidence items, and I am working with the state to get those items,” he said.
This is the third time Clasen’s trial has been postponed. It was first scheduled for December, then moved to February before being bumped to May 18.
It is now scheduled for Sept. 28, about a year from when she was charged.
This month marks the 1-year anniversary of the deadly collision as Clasen was returning to her Horn Rapids home after spending a few hours in a bar with her husband after she got off duty.
As she turned left from Highway 240 to Village Parkway, her Kia Telluride collided with a 2002 Suzuki TL1000 motorcycle heading east. Vega Sanchez, 20, was taken to Kadlec Regional Medical Center, where he died.
Investigation into trooper’s crash
Richland police officer Steve Heid became suspicious that Clasen may have been drinking after interviewing her at the scene.
She refused to take a preliminary breath test at the scene and was arrested.
The Washington State Patrol’s toxicology laboratory determined that her blood-alcohol level was 0.17%, more than twice the legal limit, when her blood was drawn six hours after the crash.
While she initially told investigators that she had been home that night and left to get pizza, police learned that she had been at The Moon Palace Restaurant in Richland, where she and her husband were regulars.
Delays in the case
While Clasen was arrested following the crash, she was released on her own recognizance and not initially charged as the investigation continued. The handling of her case was referred to Spokane County to avoid potential local conflicts of interest with prosecutors.
She was charged six months later with DUI vehicular homicide, pleaded innocent to the charge and remains out of jail without bail.
This story was originally published March 11, 2026 at 12:45 PM.