KENNEWICK, Wash. – The case involving off-duty Washington State Patrol trooper Sarah Clasen has captured significant public interest following a fatal crash that resulted in the death of 20-year-old Jhoser Sanchez.
Clasen’s lawyer, Scott Johnson, expressed concerns about the impact of public attention on the case.
“The case has received unprecedented public interest, both nationally and internationally. This intense interest has made it extraordinarily difficult to ensure my client’s right to fair and impartial proceedings,” Johnson said in a statement sent to NonStop Local.
However, Yolimar Sanchez, Jhoser Sanchez’s mother, disagreed with Johnson’s perspective.
“I feel like the attorney is trying to portray the woman as a victim because this case has been highly publicized,” she said. She emphasized that Clasen, being a patrol officer, should have set an example but instead was driving with a high level of alcohol in her system.
According to the Richland Police Department’s case report, Clasen spent nearly four hours at a bar prior to the crash, with a blood-alcohol content of 0.17%. The report also indicated that Sanchez was sober and not speeding at the time of the incident.
“Drawing conclusions without all the facts is not only irresponsible, but also unjust to our client. She deserves and the law demands that she receives fair and impartial proceedings,” Johnson said in the statement.
Johnson mentioned that the defense would conduct its own investigation, which would take time to gather all necessary information. As of now, formal charges have not been filed against Clasen.
NonStop Local has reached out to special prosecutor Larry Haskell multiple times for comment but has not received a response.
Scott Johnson’s full statement can be found below.
“On March 1, 2025, my client was involved in a fatal accident on Highway 240 in Richland, WA. Since then, the case has received unprecedented public interest, both nationally and internationally. This intense interest has made it extraordinarily difficult to ensure my client’s right to fair and impartial proceedings.
Cases of this nature are highly complex. To be found guilty of vehicular homicide, the accused must have been the proximate cause of the accident that resulted in death. If the deceased individual was responsible for the accident, then the accused cannot be guilty of vehicular homicide.
Determining the cause of an accident requires extensive data, expert analysis, and, most importantly, time.
The defense is actively conducting its own independent investigation. This includes independent toxicology testing, accident scene reconstruction, and interviewing multiple fact witnesses, including those who may have observed motorcycles racing on or near Highway 240 at the time of the accident.
In today’s world, people demand instant answers and then rush to judgment. However, drawing conclusions without all the facts is not only irresponsible, but also unjust to our client. She deserves and the law demands that she receives fair and impartial proceedings—not a system biased against her.”
