Drug paraphernalia found on suspect in head-on crash that killed pregnant woman
Mar 5, 2014, 2:45 PM | Updated: 10:30 pm
Anderson Hamilton, 48, appears in court Wednesday for the crash early Tuesday on Highway 167 that killed a pregnant woman. (KING 5 image)
(KING 5 image)
Police found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the pocket of a man charged in a fatal head-on crash near Tacoma.
The Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney charged Anderson Hamilton, 48, with vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault for the crash early Tuesday on Highway 167.
The crash killed Shanna Huttenstine, 34, of Tacoma, who was pregnant. Her fiance suffered minor injuries and the driver of a minivan taxi is hospitalized in critical condition.
State Patrol investigators say Hamilton crossed the center line in his pickup truck and slammed into the eastbound taxi on River Road. They found needles in Hamilton’s pocket, possible marijuana and say he showed signs of impairment, said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist.
“After he was arrested and transported to the police station he passed out on the floor,” Lindquist said.
“This is another unfortunate example of why drugs and driving don’t mix.”
Hamilton refused field sobriety tests and pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the charges.
