Spokane police arrest driver in deadly crash near airport

May 14-The Spokane Police Department arrested a driver in connection to a deadly crash near the Spokane International Airport last Friday, the agency said in a news release.

Police said Salom Batlok, 22, will likely face one count of vehicular homicide and two counts of vehicular assault. Officers arrested him at his home following his stay at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center, where he was treated for injuries sustained during the crash.

The crash was reported about 7:30 a.m. on Airport Drive between Spotted and Flint roads. Court records indicated a black 2019 BMW slammed into a large metal pole on the side of the road and instantly killed 21-year-old passenger Dewayne Aiseia.

Two other people in the car were severely injured and taken to the hospital.

Police wrote in court records they could smell alcohol on the driver's clothing and found multiple open alcoholic beverage containers inside the car. Officers found no signs of braking prior to the car leaving the road, court records say.

Batlok was booked into the Spokane County Jail around noon on Thursday, the jail's roster shows.

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