Man took shot of whiskey prior to hitting, killing pedestrian in Spokane Valley, court docs say

A 29-year-old man who is suspected of hitting and killing a woman crossing the road last week in Spokane Valley admitted to having a shot of whiskey prior to getting behind the wheel with his two children.

Seth E. Schrammeck was charged with suspicion of vehicular homicide and reckless endangerment. He made his first appearance Monday in Spokane County Superior Court where his bond was set at $25,000. He was not listed Tuesday in the Spokane County Jail. 

A breath test he took on scene showed his blood alcohol content below the legal limit.

Deputies responded at about 6:25 p.m. to a report of a person not breathing and unconscious on Sullivan Road and Broadway Avenue, according to court documents. The woman, who has not been identified, died at the scene. 

Deputies found a man, later identified as Schrammeck, highly distraught, crying and agitated near his Nissan. He admitted to hitting the woman and that his two children, ages 7 and 3, were in his car.

Neither child was injured, according to a Spokane Valley Police Department news release.

The Nissan had front-end damage, including a broken windshield, dented hood and a broken front bumper, according to court records. 

Schrammeck told deputies he was driving south on Sullivan Road at about 35 to 40 mph on his way to take his children to the nearby Flying Squirrel trampoline park. He said the pedestrian “came out of nowhere” and was suddenly in front of his car when he hit her. He pulled over, checked on his kids and started looking for the pedestrian. 

Someone told him they were doing CPR on the pedestrian, so he went over to where he thought she was and the police were already coming, he told deputies. 

Deputies noticed an alcohol odor coming from Schrammeck and that his speech was somewhat slurred.

Schrammeck admitted to having one shot of Pendleton Whisky at his house just minutes earlier. He said he took a hit of a marijuana joint and took Adderall the previous day. 

He said he recently quit fentanyl.

Deputies noted he did not perform field sobriety tests “satisfactorily.” A preliminary breath test showed 0.03 blood alcohol content, below the 0.08 threshold. His blood was drawn for further testing. 

Schrammeck is scheduled for an arraignment Thursday.