62-year-old woman sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for killing motorcyclist in Spokane Valley drunken-driving crash

A judge on Thursday ordered a 62-year-old woman to serve nearly five years in prison for striking and killing a motorcyclist in a drunken-driving crash in Spokane Valley.

Bonita Powers pleaded guilty Nov. 7 to vehicular homicide, hit-and-run resulting in a death and felony DUI, according to court documents. Spokane County Superior Court Judge Timothy Fennessy handed down the 57-month sentence last week.

Powers pulled in front of a motorcyclist, identified as 49-year-old Robby Pearson, on July 9, 2022, on Sprague Avenue, according to the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office.

Powers was leaving the Eagles Club, 16801 E. Sprague Ave., in a gray Honda CRV and “did not have as much room as she thought,” when she exited the driveway onto Sprague, Powers told deputies in court documents.

Powers provided a preliminary breath test sample of 0.144, over the 0.08 legal limit, documents say.

Pearson was taken to the hospital with severe injuries, including several skull fractures and severe brain damage. He died a few days later.