Jury deadlocked on woman accused of vehicular homicide

A 30-year-old woman accused of vehicular homicide is scheduled for a second trial next month after her trial this week ended in a hung jury.

Selina Juarez was driving early in the morning on June 22, 2021, when she crashed on the 2300 block of East Trent Avenue in Spokane, killing her 39-year-old passenger, Brandon McDonald.

Evidence showed the car hit a fire hydrant, ripping it from the ground, then continued on to hit a rail car parked on the railroad tracks, according to court documents. The car then rolled.

A toxicology report showed Juarez’s blood alcohol content was 0.10, above the 0.08 legal limit in Washington. Investigators say Juarez was going 59 mph in a 35 mph zone.

A tow truck driver witnessed the crash and stopped to check on the occupants of the car, documents say.

Juarez was drenched in blood but talking, while McDonald was not breathing and had a very faint pulse, the tow truck driver told police. He died at the scene.

Juarez told police she had a spare tire on the front end of her car and when she pressed the brakes, she lost control, according to court documents.

She was “adamant” she didn’t roll the car, but that description didn’t match the damage to the vehicle, documents say.

McDonald was a local rapper and comedian, according to his family.

Juarez is set for trial Aug. 21.