Spokane 69-Year-Old Drunk Driver Hits 6-Year-Old, Then a House

The man made his first court appearance Wednesday.

Spokane driver hits child, then a house

Tuesday evening, August 5th, around 8 PM, Spokane Valley Deputies responded to a report of a crash involving child, and a house.

A man driving  a Jeep Gladiator had hit a six-year-old child, then drove his vehicle into a home, causing  significant damage in the 4800 block of North Calvin Road in the Valley.

When Officers arrived, they found the driver, 69-year-old John E. Lassey still sitting in the driver's seat, and his vehicle embedded in the home to the point where Deputies thought it might collapse on top of the Jeep.

They smelled a strong odor of intoxicants and Lassey initially didn't get out and then tried to roll up his window.

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Investigators said Lassey was driving on Calvin Road when he tried to turn around and lost control. He then hit a parked vehicle, crossed the entire road, up onto the sidewalk where he hit the child, then continued through several lawns.

At that point he hit the home, and his vehicle became stuck.  The child survived, did not have life-threatening injuries, but will require possible follow-up operations as part of their recovery.

Lassey was booked into the Spokane County Jail on at least one count of Vehicular Assault. The investigation continues, and additional charges are likely pending.