Thurston Sheriff victim of suspected DUI hit-and-run

Thurston County sheriff injured in hit-and-run crash

Investigators say a suspected DUI driver smashed into Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders, then tried to speed away from the scene this weekend. The incident happened just before midnight on Saturday, in the Tanglewilde area of Thurston County, at the intersection of Martin Way East and Hensley Street Northeast.

TANGLEWILDE, Wash. - Investigators say a suspected DUI driver smashed into Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders, then tried to speed away from the scene this weekend.

The incident happened just before midnight on Saturday, in the Tanglewilde area of Thurston County, at the intersection of Martin Way East and Hensley Street Northeast.

"She had a flashing yield, yellow, to turn left, and the next thing you know she pulls into my oncoming lane. So, I swerved right, and she was trying to cut me off to make it into the bar parking lot, and T-boned me, shoved me up onto the concrete sidewalk," said Sanders.

Sanders said after the crash, the driver took off. He called for back up and a search dog. Investigators with the help of the K-9 unit found the suspect hiding in the bushes.

"It just drove the point home that none of us are exempt from this," said Sanders.

Numbers FOX 13 Seattle obtained show Thurston County faced a drastic increase in deadly DUIs last year.

Data shows there were 17 deadly DUI crashes in 2023. The previous year there were seven.

Sanders reports deputies responded to five DUI crashes just this past weekend.

He tells FOX 13 Seattle it is a problem deputies will need more resources to address.

"We routinely have people call in DUI and reckless cars. There’s rarely ever law enforcement available," he said. "So, the public is doing their part. The deputies, and police officers and troopers are also doing their part, but then, at the state level, we see significant non-commitment to funding law enforcement," said Sanders.

WSP is investigating the crash involving Sanders as a DUI. The suspect was taken into custody.