Spokane7
62°
November 24, 2009 in City
Driver in Spokane hit-and-run had prior DUI stop
Woman struck Friday in critical condition
Olsness
(Full-size photo)
A driver accused of a hit-and-run crash in downtown Spokane was cited for drunken driving two months before police say he struck a woman after drinking at several bars Friday night.
Cameron B. Olsness, 24, had “at least five shots of Tequila and multiple mixed drinks” before he struck a woman at Browne Street and Spokane Falls Boulevard, according to court documents filed Monday.
Detectives say Olsness’ girlfriend told them this after Olsness was arrested following a foot chase. He remains in Spokane County Jail on $50,000 bail after appearing in Superior Court on felony hit-and-run and vehicular assault charges Monday.
The 10:30 p.m. crash, one of three car-versus-pedestrian accidents in Spokane last weekend, left the victim, identified in court documents as 50-year-old Elain Price-Cornell, face down on Spokane Falls Boulevard, bleeding heavily from the mouth and nose, police said.
A Spokane County sheriff’s helicopter helped catch Olsness after he ditched his car in downtown Spokane and ran, police said. Price-Cornell is in critical condition at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center. Medics told police they didn’t expect her to survive. Police are looking for another car that may have hit Price-Cornell as she lay in the roadway.
A woman had stopped her Subaru to help the victim along with another witness, and police think a second vehicle sped around the stopped Subaru and hit Price-Cornell. The suspect vehicle is described only as “a smaller, possibly older car,” according to Spokane police.
Olsness was convicted of drunken driving in 2005, and was arrested on the same charge again Sept. 14, according to court records.
In the September arrest, Olsness’ blood-alcohol level was 0.147 after he was pulled over at 2:17 p.m., according to his citation. The legal limit for driving is 0.08.
Olsness’ private attorney, Jeremy Benson, said Olsness has lived in Spokane all his life and works for his brother’s company doing concrete flatwork.
Benson asked Judge Harold Clarke on Monday to release Olsness without requiring bail, but Clarke imposed the $50,000 requested by the Spokane County prosecutor’s office.
Sex trafficking suspects released as probe continues 
Uptight_Spokanite on November 24 at 6:36 a.m.
I suppose the Spokane Police Dept will suspend him with pay until he’s acquitted by a numbskulled Spokane jury or pled out to a misdemeanor, then it’s back on patrol!
liarsinnews on November 24 at 8:00 a.m.
Seems to me, drunks picked up for a DUI in Spokane, receive a tap on the wrist when compared with other States. I migrated from Minnesota to Washington in 1984 and noticed that in Spokane its rare that a driver arrested for a DUI to serve over one day with a much lower than Minnesota fine. Currently, its not unusual in the mid west to be fined $5,000.00 for the second offense, and loose driving priveladges for at least one year.
philipgregory on November 25 at 8:05 a.m.
The full version of this story is available only to Spokesman-Review print and online premium subscribers
This is a report important to the community and should not be auctioned off by SR’s greedy publishers!
taroebuck on November 25 at 11:44 a.m.
This is absolutely unbelievable.
chriswhelan on November 26 at 3:45 p.m.
This guy in his picture looks sad and probably feels bad for what he did. Maybe the police should take him to the hospital to ask the family that flew a thousand miles how they feel.
Rifleman__Dodd on November 26 at 4:40 p.m.
Whats the big deal? He’s just doing a Thoma.
chriswhelan on November 29 at 5:01 p.m.
I would like to make a closing note. My name is Chris and I am the husband of the deceased, Elaine Price Cornell’s son’s ex-wife. My wife and I have two of her grandchildren wondering why and what their grandmother was doing in Spokane Washington. Elaine was there shopping for Christmas gifts for her children, grandchildren and one great grandson.Now all they will receive for Christmas is at least a 5 figure medical bill all thanks to one inconsiderate man.
The grandchildren and family would like to sincerely thank the Travel Lodge Convention Center, Spokane Police Department, Staff and medical team at the hospital and supporting citizens of Spokane for their care and support during this difficult time.
I, Chris, would like to wish Cameron Olsness a Merry Christmas and God Bless.