Tragic Collision: Off-Duty Trooper’s Alleged Drunk Driving Ends in Fatal Crash with Young Motorcyclist
WSP Trooper Sarah Clasen accused of hitting and killing a motorcyclist while off-duty.
By SyndicatedNews SNN.BZ
In a heartbreaking incident that has shaken the Richland, Washington community, 35-year-old Washington State Patrol (WSP) Trooper Sarah Clasen stands accused of vehicular homicide after allegedly driving under the influence and striking a 20-year-old motorcyclist on March 1, 2025. The victim, Jhoser Vega Sanchez, succumbed to his injuries shortly after the collision, leaving behind a grieving family and raising profound questions about accountability within law enforcement.
Owner of the Restaurant Bar (Brad) was uncooperative when investigators came to the property to investigate case
The Crash: A Split-Second Tragedy on State Route 240
The accident unfolded around 7:40 p.m. on a chilly Saturday evening at the intersection of State Route 240 and Village Parkway in north Richland. Clasen, a 13-year veteran of the WSP and its public information officer for District 3, was off-duty and driving her personal SUV home to the nearby Horn Rapids neighborhood. As she attempted a left turn onto Village Parkway from westbound SR 240, her vehicle collided with Sanchez’s eastbound motorcycle, pinning it beneath the SUV’s passenger-side front corner.
Emergency responders arrived to a chaotic scene. Sanchez, a recent motorcycle enthusiast who had just begun riding, was rushed to Kadlec Regional Medical Center but was pronounced dead from severe injuries. Clasen, who sustained no apparent injuries, initially attempted to drive away from the scene but stopped after realizing the gravity of the situation, according to witness accounts.
Body camera footage from Richland Police Department officers, later released publicly, captures the tense moments following the crash. Clasen, appearing disheveled and emotional, recounted her version of events to investigators. “I saw what I thought was a car with one headlight out… I was slowing in the turn lane and saw him there and I was like, I got enough time,” she said, her words slurring slightly as she described the impact: “As soon as I turn, just felt the boom.” She estimated her speed at about 20 mph and claimed Sanchez was “definitely going faster than the posted speed limit,” suggesting he was over 100 feet away when she began her turn.
However, police reconstruction painted a different picture. Officers determined that Sanchez was traveling well under the speed limit—closer to 500 feet away at the time of impact—and that an “attentive driver should have been able to see the motorcyclist.” The bulk of the damage was concentrated on Clasen’s SUV, further supporting the conclusion that she failed to yield during the turn.
Signs of Impairment and Refusal to Cooperate
Responding officers noted immediate red flags of intoxication. Clasen’s eyes appeared glossy, her speech was slurred and disorganized, and a strong odor of alcohol emanated from her breath—observations made over two hours after the crash. When asked if she had been drinking, Clasen refused to answer directly. She also declined field sobriety tests and a preliminary breathalyzer, citing the “circumstances.” “I definitely don’t feel impaired. I don’t feel like impairment was an issue,” she insisted during the interview.
Her written statement to police, a brief six-sentence account, was riddled with misspellings and inconsistencies, further fueling suspicions. A blood test conducted six hours post-crash revealed a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.17%—more than double Washington’s legal limit of 0.08%—indicating she was likely far more intoxicated at the time of the collision.
Investigators later uncovered that Clasen and her husband, Trent, had spent approximately four hours at the Moon Palace, a discreet cash-only bar housed in what was once a Chinese restaurant in Richland. Described by police as a low-profile establishment with a side-door entry to avoid attention, Moon Palace had become a frequent haunt for the couple. Handwritten bar tabs seized by police showed at least 20 visits in January alone, with employees describing the Clasens as “responsible and respectable” patrons who “don’t over drink.” However, no tab from March 1 was found, prompting an ongoing probe into potential evidence tampering, as police believe it may have been deleted. Clasen had clocked out of work at 3 p.m. that day, and surveillance placed their vehicle near the bar shortly after.
At the time, Clasen was en route to pick up a pizza when the crash occurred, turning the evening errand into a night of unimaginable loss.
Legal Proceedings and Aftermath
Clasen was arrested at the scene on suspicion of vehicular homicide while under the influence, a felony charge. She was booked into Benton County Jail but released pending further investigation. The case languished for months, with no formal charges filed until late September 2025, when Benton County prosecutors finally moved forward with the vehicular homicide DUI charge. Clasen entered a not guilty plea during her arraignment on September 24 and was not held in custody, allowing her to remain free as the trial date approaches.
The WSP swiftly placed Clasen on paid administrative leave, with Chief John Batiste issuing a statement expressing condolences to Sanchez’s family and affirming confidence in the Richland Police Department’s thorough probe. “The Washington State Patrol offers our sincerest condolences to the victim and their loved ones,” Batiste said
For Sanchez’s family, the pain has been compounded by the delays in the justice system. His mother, Maria Vega, revealed that Jhoser had only recently taken up motorcycling as a passion, describing him as a vibrant young man full of promise. In response to the tragedy, the family launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to cover funeral costs and support ongoing grief counseling, raising awareness about the dangers of impaired driving.
Broader Implications: A Stark Reminder of Responsibility
As the trial looms, the Richland community—and the nation—watches closely. Jhoser Sanchez’s story serves as a poignant educational tool, illuminating the human cost of impaired decisions and the critical need for vigilance behind the wheel. Everyone deserves respect and second chances, but as this tragedy illustrates, the stakes are often irreversibly high.
