Two Motorcyclists Injured after being Hit by Suspected Impaired Driver

A Spokane County Sheriff’s Unit Deputy arrested a suspected impaired adult male driver of a Dodge minivan for Vehicular Assault after he crashed into two motorcycles, causing serious but believed to be non-life-threatening injuries. 

On September 5, 2024, at approximately 8:20 pm, Spokane County Deputies and Liberty Lake Police Officers responded to a crash involving a minivan and two motorcycles on E. Appleway Avenue at Spokane Bridge Road.  

Deputies, Officers, and medical personnel arrived at the scene.  The two adult female riders were provided medical attention for their potentially serious but believed to be non-life-threatening injuries and transported to the hospital for additional care.  

A Traffic Unit Deputy and Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) contacted the driver of the van, identified as 83-year-old Robert J. Howland.  Through the investigation, the Deputy developed probable cause to believe Howland was driving impaired when he caused the collision, which resulted in substantial injury.  Howland was arrested, and the Deputy obtained a search warrant to collect a sample of Howland’s blood for evidence testing.  

Initial information indicates the van was traveling east on Spokane Bridge Road when Howland failed to negotiate the curve connecting Spokane Bridge Road and Appleway Avenue.  Howland’s van continued straight and struck the motorcycles traveling west on Appleway at the curve.   

Howland was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for Vehicular Assault.  

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This Spokane County Sheriff Office news article "Two Motorcyclists Injured after being Hit by Suspected Impaired Driver" was originally found on https://www.spokanecounty.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?CID=7