February 2, 2012 in News, City

Spokane police detective injured in I-90 crash

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Colin Mulvany photo

Westbound traffic heading into downtown Spokane on Thursday morning was backed up due to a four-car accident involving a semi, a Spokane Police Department patrol car and at least one other vehicle. This photo was taken at Fifth Avenue and Arthur Street looking east around 9:20 a.m.
(Full-size photo)(All photos)

A Spokane police major crimes detective was injured in a freeway crash today when a suspected drunken driver struck his patrol car.

Mark Burbridge was driving west in the right lane of Interstate 90 just east of the Lincoln Street exit when a 1995 Honda Civic driven by Charity B. Valdivia, 38, crossed over from the left lane and struck his unmarked department-issued 2008 Crown Victoria, according to the Washington State Patrol.

Burbridge’s car spun out of control and smashed into the center concrete barrier while Valdivia’s Honda struck a semi-trailer and lodged under its left bumper, said WSP Trooper Troy Briggs.

Valdivia, of Coeur d’Alene, was treated for minor injuries before she was arrested on suspicion of vehicular assault, according to WSP.

Burbridge, 49, was treated at a hospital for his injuries; Briggs said the extent are not known but that he has been released.

The semi, Brandon P. Yahne, 22, of Lacey, Wash., was not injured nor was his vehicle damaged. Burbridge’s patrol car and Valdivia’s Honda were damaged and impounded to the WSP bullpen.

The 6:50 a.m. crash reduced traffic to one lane and snarled the morning commute. All lanes reopened by 9:45 a.m.

In July 2010, Burbridge strained his back in a crash at Division Street and Sharp Avenue that occurred when a driver ran a red light and t-boned his unmarked patrol car. Detectives Jan Pogachar and Douglas Orr also were injured. The driver, Tonia S. Vansant, had traces of cocaine in her system. She was sentenced in December 2010 to 33 months in prison for vehicular assault.

Investigators suspect Valdivia had been drinking when she struck Burbridge’s car today, Briggs said.

Here’s a live stream of traffic moving through that area.

Eight comments on this story so far. Add yours!

• 

  dougfresh on February 02 at 8:30 a.m.

  Freeway was a mess because of this… as was 2nd avenue downtown with all the overflow on that

• 

  westerly on February 02 at 8:39 a.m.

  Kind of like I-5 in Seattle is…. ..every day….so you know who gets the highway money’s.

• 

  The_Seer on February 02 at 9:05 a.m.

  I saw this wreck kon the way to work this morning. The car under the semi trailer looked pretty jacked up, but I didn’t see the patrol car referenced in the story.

• 

  JayNW on February 02 at 11:27 a.m.

  the patrol car is the unmarked detective car, darker color Ford Crown Vic

• 

  de3 on February 02 at 12:29 p.m.

  We’ve got a really bad drunk driving problem around here, but let’s set up some more traffic sting operations!

  With the “pedestrian emphasis” patrols (inspired by drunks hitting pedestrians), yesterday’s drunk into a building crash (“building emphasis”), can we assume that SPD/WSP will now hold a “police car emphasis” patrol sting?

• 

  lewis8457 on February 02 at 3:05 p.m.

  hope he comes out OK since his back is already messed up.

• 

  EthicsinLE on February 02 at 5:29 p.m.

  Remind me never to ride with Det. Burbridge, he’s a crash magnet. Hope you’re doing better Mark!

• 

  mary1958 on February 05 at 3:51 p.m.

  My sympathy to Detective Burbridge. Hope you are not seriously hurt.