A Vancouver man has received more than eight years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of vehicular homicide and assault from a December fatal accident on an Interstate 5 offramp.
On Oct. 17, Derek Cunningham, 34, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court and was sentenced to 102 months for two counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence and a count of second-degree assault, according to court records.
The convictions stem from a fatal accident on Dec. 18 on the southbound I-5 exit at 78th Street.
At about 9:45 p.m. that night, Ying Ting, 36, of Portland, was driving on I-5 when he lost control and hit a concrete barrier near the top of the off-ramp, according to a probable cause affidavit. His vehicle came to a rest partially blocking the ramp lane. Kiki Salazar, 20, of Milwaukie, was driving with Jorge Santiago-Joaquin, 21, of Ridgefield, as her passenger on the interstate and witnessed the crash. Salazar stopped slightly south of Ting on the off-ramp to assist.
All three were outside of their vehicles and in between the two cars, the affidavit stated, when Cunningham went down the off-ramp and failed to notice the stopped vehicles. He slammed into Ting’s vehicle, which hit the three people and Salazar’s vehicle.
Ting died at the scene, the affidavit stated, while Santiago-Joaquin and Salazar were taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center. On Dec. 27, the Washington State Patrol confirmed Santiago-Joaquin died at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.
A responding WSP trooper contacted Cunningham, who had “bloodshot watery eyes” and “a strong odor of intoxicants coming from his person,” according to the affidavit. A breathalyzer indicated Cunningham’s blood alcohol level was .153.
Cunningham said he had “one or two” beers that evening, the affidavit stated. He said he was taking the exit when he saw two vehicles swerve around Ting’s car.
Cunningham was transported to PeaceHealth for evaluation, though he did not show signs of trauma other than a small injury to his wrist, according to court records. In an interview, he admitted to having about six to seven beers that evening.
