Boy injured in hit-and-run collision

A Washougal woman appeared in Clark County Superior Court Monday on a series of charges including felony hit and run.

Marsha Yumi Perry, 36, was booked into the Clark County Jail Friday for felony hit and run with injury, third degree driving with a suspended license and an unrelated misdemeanor warrant. During Monday’s court appearance, bail was set at $100,000. As of Tuesday morning, bond had not been posted.

The charges stem from an incident that occurred April 24 at 6:13 p.m. when Washougal Police Department officers responded to a motor vehicle crash involving a 5-year-old boy who was riding a Big Wheel tricycle. A white 1994 Ford F-150 pickup driven by Perry, 36, was traveling north near the 1500 block of 22nd Street when the child emerged from a driveway and into the path of the truck. He was struck by the driver’s side front bumper and knocked onto the road.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed Monday, the adult passenger in Perry’s car told police that he saw the boy riding down the driveway and yelled for her to stop, but it was too late.

After the crash Perry made contact with the boy, then attempted to drive the vehicle away from the scene. When a witness stood in front of the truck to prevent this, Perry fled on foot northbound toward Washougal River Road.

WPD K-9 Handler Kyle Day and his K-9 partner, Ranger, began tracking Perry through a field just south of the 1800 block of Woodburn Road. The suspect had concealed herself in a shallow hole and covered herself with dirt. Ranger tracked to within 5 feet of Perry, who could not be seen by officers. She surrendered when a second K-9 warning was given. Perry later told police she did not see the child before hitting him with the vehicle.

The boy was transported by ambulance to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver to be treated for a laceration to his face and abrasions to his knees and elbows.

The incident is still under investigation, and additional charges are possible. Officers do not believe alcohol or drugs were factors.

Assistance was provided by the Camas and Vancouver police departments.

Perry’s next court appearance on the hit and run charges is scheduled for May 8.