RICHLAND, Wash. – Two wrongful death lawsuits have been filed for separate DUI-related crashes from March 1 in Richland, one allegedly caused by an off-duty Washington State Patrol trooper.
Tamaki Law’s lawsuit alleges that both crashes, which happened within 30 minutes of each other and caused the deaths of Antonio Aguirre and Jhoser Enmanuel Vega-Sanchez, were caused by impaired drivers and preventable.
The first lawsuit alleges that Matthew D. Mason was driving under the influence when he crossed the center line of SR 224 and caused a head-on collision with Aguirre, resulting in his death.
The second lawsuit alleges that off-duty Washington State Patrol Trooper Sarah Clasen failed to yield the right-of-way under the influence, hit Vega-Sanchez’s motorcycle and killed him.
“These devastating losses were entirely preventable,” said Tamaki Law attorney Jeff Kreutz. “Our clients are seeking justice, accountability, and change to ensure no other families endure the same heartbreak caused by impaired driving.”
Clasen was arrested the night of the crash, but was released on her own recognizance two days later. Since then, friends and family have protested the release and pushed for justice.
