Driver faces vehicular assault charges following single-vehicle crash in Spokane Valley

Three people were sent to the hospital with serious injuries after a driver lost control and crashed into a tree early Tuesday on North Park Road, police said.

The car’s three occupants, including the driver, sustained serious injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening, according to a news release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

The driver, identified as Derek T. Wickham, 22, was booked Tuesday afternoon into Spokane County Jail on suspicion of two counts of vehicular assault, the release said.

Around 6:30 a.m., Spokane Valley deputies responded to calls that a Subaru Impreza had left the roadway on the 2400 block of North Park Road when it struck a tree.

At the scene, Spokane Valley Fire and AMR personnel assisted the occupants of the Impreza, which included Wickham and two others between 18 and 22 years old, the news release said.

Spokane deputies said they believed impairment and speed contributed to the crash, according to the news release.

An initial investigation indicated to deputies the Impreza was traveling north on Park Road from Trent Avenue, the news release said. The driver lost control on the icy road and struck the tree.

Spokane police tweeted Monday afternoon they responded to more than 100 reports of vehicle collisions after a day of snowfall in Spokane left many roads covered in snow and ice.