The Latest: Man accused of killing tourists appears in court

By Associated Press 27 June 2019, 12:00AM

WASHOUGAL, Wash. (AP) — The Latest on two German tourists who were killed in a car crash in Washington state (all times local):

1:35 p.m.

Authorities say a man accused of fatally running over two German tourists at a southwest Washington swimming hole told police he had been drinking at a local restaurant prior to the crash.

Court documents show a preliminary breath test taken nearly four hours after the Tuesday afternoon crash in Washougal, Washington, found David Croswell had a blood-alcohol level of 0.085. In Washington, a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or greater is considered evidence of drunken driving.

Croswell, 71, faces two counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence of intoxicants and two counts of hit-and-run resulting in death.

The Columbian reports bail was set at $500,000 at a court appearance Wednesday. He will be arraigned July 10.

Croswell's court-appointed attorney, Shon Bogar, said his client has medical problems, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

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8:58 a.m.

Authorities have identified the two German tourists who were killed when a vehicle crashed through a fence and struck them at a southwest Washington swimming hole.

Washougal Police say the people killed Tuesday afternoon were Rudolf Hohstadt, 61, and Regina Hohstadt, 62. The Hohstadts were visiting family in the Portland, Oregon, area and authorities say they had been in the United States for a few days. It wasn't immediately clear where in Germany they were from.

Police arrested a suspect late Tuesday night. The Columbian newspaper reports David E. Croswell, 71, was booked on suspicion of two counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence of intoxicants and two counts of hit-and-run driving resulting in death. Croswell was due to appear in court later Wednesday. It wasn't clear if he had an attorney yet.

Authorities say the victims were lying on the ground at Sandy Swimming Hole Park in Washougal near Portland when a Jeep drove through a fence and struck them.

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8:41 a.m.

Washington state authorities have arrested a man accused of driving his Jeep through a fence at a swimming hole and running over two Germans.

The victims were lying on the ground Tuesday at Sandy Swimming Hole Park in Washougal near Portland when the vehicle drove them.

The Columbian newspaper reports police arrested the man believed to be in his 70s Tuesday night and booked him on suspicion of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence of intoxicants and hit-and-run driving resulting in death.

The victims' names have not been made public pending notification of their relatives.

Police do not believe the man arrested and the victims knew each other or had interaction with each other before the victims were run over.

By Associated Press 27 June 2019, 12:00AM
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