Underage driver’s BAC more than double legal limit in Burien rollover crash

An underage driver was arrested in Burien on Saturday after he allegedly drove drunk, hit a parked car, fled the scene, and flipped his vehicle.

At approximately 10 a.m., deputies were dispatched to reports of a hit-and-run involving parked vehicles, but before they could respond, another call came in minutes later reporting a serious collision nearby, the Burien Police Department (BPD) announced.

As deputies arrived, they located a vehicle upside down with the driver still inside. The driver was able to escape with only minor abrasions, but BPD noted, “It could have ended much differently.”

Burien deputies smelled alcohol, determined the driver was impaired

While deputies were speaking with the driver, they detected the smell of alcohol coming from the driver. The suspect agreed to voluntary field sobriety tests, and deputies later determined that he was impaired.

A witness to the hit-and-run also identified him as the driver who struck the parked cars before he fled the scene and flipped his vehicle.

The driver was arrested and transported to the BPD’s station for further investigation. The driver ultimately provided a breath sample that read 0.202, more than two and a half times the 0.08 legal limit in Washington for drivers 21 and older.

The suspect was arrested and booked for driving under the influence, reckless driving, and two counts of hit-and-run.

“This incident is a reminder that impaired driving doesn’t just put the driver at risk, it endangers everyone sharing the road,” BPD stated. “In this case, what started as a hit-and-run quickly turned into a rollover crash. Thankfully, no innocent motorists or pedestrians were seriously injured. Drive responsibly, look out for one another, and help keep our community safe.”

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