Moses Lake man admits to drinking before injury collision

WARDEN — A Moses Lake man who was driving during a collision that left a woman seriously injured allegedly drank as many as eight beers in the hours before the collision.

Grant County prosecutors charged Jose Medina Jimenez, 25, of Moses Lake, in Grant County Superior Court with vehicular assault.

About 10:25 p.m. Sunday Jose Medina Jimenez, 25, of Moses Lake, was driving a 2005 Ford Expedition west on state Route 170, about two miles west of Warden, when he reportedly lost control of the vehicle. The Expedition rolled and came to a rest on the westbound shoulder on its wheels, according to the Washington State Patrol.

An unidentified female, who was reportedly not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected out of the Expedition, which reportedly rolled on top of her. A tow truck lifted the vehicle up and the woman was airlifted from the scene to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for treatment of serious injuries. Two other male passengers in the vehicle received minor injuries.

One of the passengers told police he witnessed Medina Jimenez consume at least six beers earlier in the evening. Medina Jimenez, who police say showed signs of intoxication, admitted to drinking “three or so” beers while driving from Moses Lake to Othello to pick up the woman who was injured in the collision. He said they went to a restaurant in Othello and he drank about five beers and left to head back to Moses Lake.

“Jose stated on the way back to Moses they took a road towards Warden. Jose told me on this unnamed road (road collision was on) he stepped on the gas a little and lost control of his vehicle. I asked Jose how fast he was going. Jose stated he honestly didn’t remember,” wrote an officer.

Richard Byrd can be reached via email at city@columbiabasinherald.com.