Drunken driver gets jail time for doing 85 mph on Clearwater Avenue

A drunken driver caught going 50 mph over the speed limit on Clearwater Avenue will spend six months in jail.

Andres Soto, 33, was told he can do the time on work release if he is eligible.

The sentence ordered Wednesday comes three weeks after a Benton County jury convicted the Tri-City man of attempting to elude police, a felony, and driving under the influence, a gross misdemeanor.

“Your actions were concerning,” said Superior Court Judge Jackie Shea Brown. She acknowledged that no one else was injured as a result of Soto’s actions, but said driving at such high speeds endangered both law enforcement and the public.

Washington State Patrol Trooper James Zane was pulling out of a restaurant parking lot at 9:54 p.m. Feb. 20 when a black BMW sped by in the westbound lanes.

Zane had to accelerate to catch up to the sedan, and with his radar determined the BMW was traveling 85 mph in the 35 mph zone, court documents said.

The car turned right onto Edison Street, then pulled into a nearby grocery story parking lot. Zane activated his emergency lights and noticed the BMW pause before taking off through the lot and ignoring a stop sign as it turned back onto Clearwater, documents said.

Soto went about 100 feet before driving over a curb into another parking lot, stopping, backing up toward Zane’s patrol car and returning to Clearwater so he could cross into the Marineland Village lot.

Soto drove toward the rear of the building and ultimately was stopped by a fence. He reportedly revved his engine and was seen in the BMW’s side mirror looking around for an escape route, but he couldn’t go anywhere.

While arresting Soto, the trooper noted that he was unsteady on his feet, had watery and bloodshot eyes and smelled of alcohol, court documents said.

Soto denied having consumed any alcohol but, when the breathalyzer test at the scene showed 0.136 percent, he admitted having two beers at a casino, documents said. He refused to give another breath sample once at the Benton County jail, so law enforcement got a search warrant to draw blood.

Judge Shea Brown also ordered Soto to do an alcohol assessment and comply with recommended treatment, and to attend a DUI victim’s panel. She said she was granting work release because “the court does want to see people working.”

Soto, who is out of custody, has until Feb. 16 to report to the Benton County jail.

His criminal history includes bail jumping, second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of possessing a controlled substance.

This story was originally published February 6, 2016 at 4:32 PM with the headline "Drunken driver gets jail time for doing 85 mph on Clearwater Avenue."