A driver traveling on eastbound Highway 2 called authorities and reported that they had struck a pedestrian or an animal on the highway. Deputies and Airway Heights Police Department officers responded to the area and conducted a search for a victim
Airway Heights, WA – A pedestrian died after being struck by an alleged DUI driver on Highway 2 in Airway Heights early Wednesday morning.
According to the Spokane County Sheriff's Office, the accident was reported at about 1:15 a.m. January 7, on the highway near South Centre Place.
A driver traveling on eastbound Highway 2 called authorities and reported that they had struck a pedestrian or an animal on the highway. Deputies and Airway Heights Police Department officers responded to the area and conducted a search for a victim.
The driver stopped at a nearby parking lot until authorities arrived. After a few minutes of searching, first responders located a seriously injured pedestrian off the south side of the highway.
Preliminary investigation found that the man had been walking on the shoulder of the highway and not in the traffic lanes when he was hit by the vehicle.
The medics pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. The victim's identity was not immediately released.
Authorities determined that the driver may have been impaired at the time of the accident. The suspect, Robert J. Bitcoin, 22, was arrested and booked on vehicular homicide charges.
The Spokane County Sheriff's Office is conducting an investigation into the incident.
Traffic-related deaths in Spokane County have remained a serious concern, averaging 51 fatalities annually between 2021 and 2023. The situation worsened as it reached its highest point in 2023, when 57 lives were lost due to traffic collisions. Data from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission (WTSC) shows that a large share of these fatal crashes occurred on state highways, with Interstate 2 and Highway 395 ranking among the most dangerous roadways in the county.
These routes are particularly hazardous due to a combination of sharp curves and heavy traffic flow, including frequent semi-truck activity. Such conditions often lead to risky passing maneuvers, increasing the likelihood of vehicles veering into oncoming lanes. In addition to roadway design and traffic volume, contributing factors commonly include impaired driving, excessive speed, unsafe passing, and driver distraction. Motorists are strongly encouraged to stay alert, especially when traveling through high-risk areas like I-2 and US 395, to reduce the chances of being involved in a devastating crash.
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