Vehicular homicide case dismissed in crash
By Dan Thesman on Friday, October 21st, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – A vehicular homicide case against a teenage girl accused in the death of a 14-year-old girl on Oct. 8 was dismissed Friday in Walla Walla County Superior Court Juvenile Department.
Walla Walla County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Nagle said his office asked to dismiss the case without prejudice to refiling later. Judge Scott Wolfram granted the motion.
“I want the results from the state toxicology lab, the vehicle speed analysis report, and the rest of the investigation completed before I decide whether to refile charges,” Nagle said.
A 17-year-old Walla Walla girl was behind the wheel of a 2022 BMW sedan when she was involved in a crash that killed Zaley Blocklinger, 14, a freshman at Walla Walla High School.
Court documents state the driver called dispatch and said that she and Blocklinger were involved in a collision and that they had both been drinking. When law enforcement arrived, the car was upside down. Undersheriff Joe Klundt said the accident happened at Foster and Reser roads and that Blocklinger was ejected and killed. A responding deputy reported cans of Mike’s Hard Lemonade were inside the vehicle.
The Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office also said the accident appeared to have been caused by excessive speed, missing a corner, and there was no real indication of attempts to brake.
