Police allege man was drunk when he struck boy with Jeep, then drove into Spokane Valley home

An alleged drunken driver struck a 6-year-old boy and drove through several yards before crashing into a house Tuesday night in Spokane Valley.

The child was taken to the hospital for serious injuries and the driver, John E. Lassey, 69, was jailed on suspicion of vehicular assault, according to a Spokane Valley Police Department news release.

Lassey has past convictions for driving while intoxicated, including when he was sentenced to 90 days in the Spokane County Jail in 2007, according to Spokesman-Review court listings.

Deputies responded shortly before 8 p.m. to the crash on North Calvin Road near Wellesley Avenue, about one block from Trentwood Elementary School, according to the release. Deputies believed Lassey was driving north on Calvin Road when he tried to turn around and lost control of his Jeep Gladiator.

He struck a parked car in a driveway, then drove through a yard, crossed over the road and went onto a sidewalk. There, he hit the 6-year-old and narrowly missed another child, police said. Lassey continued driving across several lawns before crashing into a house, lodging the Jeep in an unoccupied room.

The child had potentially life-threatening injuries, but “his condition later stabilized,” the release said. His injuries likely will require additional surgeries.

Lassey was seated in the driver’s seat when deputies showed up. Fearing the house might collapse, they directed Lassey to exit the truck, but he didn’t comply.

Deputies assisted Lassey out of the vehicle and noted he appeared to be off balanced and his breath smelled of “intoxicants,” according to deputies. Investigators also noted signs of possible impairment.

Lassey told them he started to have chest pain as he was driving. He noticed children playing in the street and swerved to avoid them. Lassey’s version of events changed during the interview, police said.

He said he drank “four or five beers,” but said he hadn’t had anything to drink in 1½ hours before the crash, investigators said.

Lassey was taken to the hospital to be evaluated and then booked into the Spokane County Jail.

He made his first appearance Wednesday in Spokane County Superior Court and is set for an arraignment Aug. 19. His bond was set at $100,000 and he remained in jail as of Wednesday afternoon.