A Vancouver man has pleaded not guilty to charges related to a fatal crash that took place east of Battle Ground in November of 2021.
On Nov. 17, Joseph Manson, 22, was arraigned in Clark County Superior Court on a count of vehicular homicide while under the influence and a count of vehicular assault. Manson made his first appearance in court on Nov. 10, more than a year after the crash.
At about 2:45 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2021, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 21600 block of Northeast Risto Road. Investigators who arrived at the scene found Samantha Smith, 22, dead at the scene. Manson and a second passenger, Issiah Blocker, 22, were extricated from the vehicle and transported to an area hospital.
On arrival a sheriff’s deputy noted the roadway was wet in the area and there were multiple signs alerting drivers of a curve in the road, the affidavit stated. They stated the vehicle was against a tree just past the apex of the curve.
The vehicle appeared to have “incurred extreme damage and was nearly torn in half,” the affidavit stated.
Beer cans and cannabis paraphernalia were found at the scene, the affidavit states.
In an interview with Blocker at the hospital following the crash, he told investigators he was picked up by Manson and they went to a Vancouver bar to play pool and drink. He said the three had used cannabis during their outing, according to the affidavit.
Blocker said Manson insisted on driving even though Blocker told him not to, the affidavit stated. He remembered they had bought beer from a gas station after leaving the bar and had opened it to drink while driving.
“(Blocker) mentioned they had done it before and ‘nothing happened,’” in relation to drinking while in the vehicle, the affidavit stated.
Blocker could not remember anything just before and during the crash, according to the affidavit. He told investigators he had broken ribs, a broken elbow and a foot injury. An investigator noted Blocker had another injury consistent with wearing a seatbelt.
A blood toxicology test showed Manson had a blood alcohol level of .199 when tested at the hospital, which is more than twice the legal limit of .08, the affidavit stated.
Manson’s bail was set at $10,000 at his initial hearing. He is scheduled to be back in court on Feb. 2.
