Thurston County Sheriff released from hospital after crash with suspected DUI driver

Thurston County Sheriff Derek Sanders is out of the hospital after he was hit by a suspected impaired driver on Sunday.

Lieutenant Cameron Simper said that the collision happened around 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Lawrence Lake Road Southeast and 153rd Avenue Southeast in Yelm.

Sheriff Sanders was driving his department vehicle southbound on Lawrence Lake Road Southeast when a Ford Ranger pickup truck, going east on 153rd Avenue Southeast pulled in front of him. The two collided.

Sheriff Sanders was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center due to injuries from the crash, according to Lt. Simper.

KIRO 7 spoke with Sheriff Sanders’ mother. Karen Arrowsmith told KIRO 7 she had been getting updates about her son’s condition from one of his best friends who was with him at Harborview Medical Center. She said this has been an emotional roller coaster for her and the family.

“I am just one happy mom tonight,” Arrowsmith said.

She said before she left the area, she was a 911 call dispatcher for Thurston County for 11 years. She even worked alongside her son during her tenure.

“I had stopped listening to the scanner a while back because it was too hard being this far away and not being able to get to him if something happened,” Arrowsmith said. “Today really hit home how far away they are.”

She said all of the support and prayers from people all over have meant everything to them and she believes the support will be quite helpful during her son’s road to recovery.

“And it does not go unnoticed how much love there is for Sheriff Sanders,” Arrowsmith said “I think it goes well beyond even Thurston County. He is so loved by so many.”

At 11:45 p.m. on Sunday, the sheriff’s office tweeted that Sanders had been released from the hospital.

The driver of the other car is a 29-year-old man from Roy. He was uninjured and was taken into custody by troopers for DUI, said The Washington State Patrol.

The WSP is investigating the collision and will determine if the man was impaired.

Sheriff Sanders was elected as the youngest Thurston County Sheriff in history in January at 29 years old.

Additional information will be released when it becomes available, said Lt. Simper.