Sandy Swimming Hole: Alleged Driver Has Court Appearance

A longtime Washougal resident accused in the hit-and-run deaths of two German tourists at Sandy Swimming Hole made his first court appearance Wednesday at Clark County Superior Court. He told police he’d been drinking at a local Chinese resident prior to Tuesday’s incident.

David Croswell, 71, is facing two counts of vehicular homicide while driving under the influence of intoxicants and two counts of hit-and-run resulting in death.

Court records show a preliminary breath test taken Tuesday night revealed Croswell had a blood-alcohol level of .085. .08 or greater is considered driving under the influence.

He was pushed into court in a restraint chair as he requires oxygen.

The prosecution Wednesday asked for $200,000 bail due to the nature of the case. Croswell himself has minimal criminal history — a 1982 conviction for first-degree negligent driving, and possession of marijuana.

Judge Gregory Gonzales set Croswell’s bail at $500,000. His arraignment is scheduled for July 10.

What we know about Croswell:

• He’s a lifelong resident of Washougal.
• He has medical issues, including Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD.
• His daughter, Leticia, who lives with him, said her father drinks about once a month, and that no alcohol in the house appeared to be missing, according to a court affidavit. She said “… David sometimes will sneak down to ‘Chinese restaurant’ and drink with (a) friend.”
• Officers said Croswell admitted to drinking alcohol beforehand, according to court records.
• He has minimal criminal history.

Police do not believe Croswell has any connection to the victims, Rudolf Hohstadt, 61, and Regina Hohstadt, 62, who were German tourists on vacation. The incident happened at 4:50 Tuesday afternoon, said Sgt. Alex Schoening, of the Clark County Sheriff’s Department.

Sandy Swimming Hole continues to be roped off, pending a complete investigation. It’s a popular summer destination for local youth and families.

Our second article in this case: https://lacamasmagazine.com/2019/06/sandy-swimming-hole-washougal-resident-charged-with-killing-2-victims-idd.html

To learn more about Sandy Swimming Hole, click here: http://visitwashougal.com/tour/sandy-swimming-hole/