Three wooden crosses mark the roadside of Monday night’s collision. / Courtesy photo by Ayla Marie Withey
By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The driver of the second vehicle in the Onalaska crash that killed three teens told the investigating trooper he’d drank a beer about five hours earlier, but his breath and his entire van smelled of alcohol, according to the Washington State Patrol.
Joseph W. Rogerson, 36, and his wife were returning home to Chehalis from getting a shovel at Cowlitz Timber Trails when they collided head on with a sport utility vehicle carrying eight young people on state Route 508 near Hyak Road.
The state patrol has said both vehicles crossed the centerline and the investigation is ongoing.
The Monday night tragedy has left a community grieving.
Wooden crosses have been placed beside the road at the scene and a vigil is set for tomorrow night, where organizers hope mourners will encircle the entire Carlisle Lake mill pond.
The state patrol’s initial reports indicated the black 2002 Land Rover Discovery was occupied by four 18-year-olds and four 13-year-olds from Onalaska and Chehalis.
However, the police report indicates slightly different ages.
Dead at the scene were the driver, Arnold W. Mullinax, 17, and Taylor N. Thompson, 12, both from Onalaska, according to Trooper Torson Iverson’s report.
Dakota L. Dunivin, 18, from Chehalis, died the following day at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. All the deaths were caused by blunt force trauma and listed as accidental.
Trooper Iverson writes he arrived shortly after 10 p.m. that night, and saw emergency lights ahead, and then a silver van partially blocking the westbound lane, and the Land Rover on its top in the center of the road.
The bulk of his report focuses on Rogerson, the driver of the Ford Freestar minivan.
The man was crying as he answered questions, and said he’d been doing CPR on someone for about five minutes. When asked if he was hurt, he said he didn’t know.
“Rogerson stated he was driving ‘and all of a sudden, it’s like, you just never think someone like you is going to be involved … all of a sudden bam’,” Iverson wrote.
Rogerson agreed to perform field sobriety tests, during which at some points he stumbled and also swayed from side to side, the trooper wrote. He declined a portable breath test.
From the beginning, the man told the trooper the other vehicle basically was in his lane, and that it ran into him
Three troopers located what they believed to be the point of impact, deep gouges in the roadway, right on the centerline, between the yellow lines that form the centerline, according to the report.
Rogerson, who mentioned the next day was his first day at work as a medical assistant, was transported to Providence Centralia Hospital by ambulance, where the trooper met him to have his blood drawn for testing.
The report does not include his blood alcohol level.
Rogerson was booked into the Lewis County Jail for driving under the influence on the instructions of his sergeant and the prosecutor, Iverson wrote.
The following day, Rogerson appeared in Lewis County District Court where he pleaded not guilty. A $5,000 appearance bond was posted on his behalf.
Among his conditions of release, is that he may not consume any alcohol or go into a bar. The court order stated he had to be equipped with a SCRAM – an alcohol monitor bracelet – before leaving the jail.
And he may not drive without an ignition interlock device installed in his vehicle.
Rogerson was appointed Chehalis attorney Jacob Clark. His court file does not indicate when he will return to court.
The state patrol indicated the night of the accident that if the investigation reveals his driving is the cause of the collision, the charge could be elevated.
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For background, read “Two dead, at least three injured in head on crash in Onalaska” from Tuesday July 14, 2015, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
Monday I stopped at the accident which is very somber with the memorial to the three deceased young people and the paint marks on the road.
Hwy 508 is a very dangerous highway. It is narrow and generally has no shoulders and deep ditches on each side. This highway is also very busy between Centralia and Onalaska. At the scene the shoulders are not so steep but the accident scene is just past a westbound corner.
Anywhere on this highway it is very easy to find yourself across the centerline or side of the pavement if you are distracted for only a couple of seconds.
It looks to me that both vehicles were very close to the centerline and there is a gouge mark between the double centerlines which seems to be made by the impact.
I now believe that the Land Rover collided with the minivan on or very close to the centerline. The Rover hit at an angle and the left front wheel may have climbed the side of the van a bit and, along with the driver’s reaction to turn away from the impact, caused it to roll right there on the highway. I do not think that it left the highway, but rolled on it’s top and skidded down the highway from right to left.
This older Land Rover is a high center of gravity vehicle which would roll very easily in a collision like this especially overloaded with eight passengers.
I believe that the root cause of this tragic accident was one or more of the drivers being distracted momentarily which allowed these vehicles to slightly overlap.
I believe that 8 teenagers in one vehicle increased the risk of an accident and one driver being under the influence of alcohol did also. The combination of those two factors may have been the perfect storm.
I also believe that 100% seat belt usage would have saved lives and prevented some of the serious injuries although I’m not sure that the vehicle has 8 seat belts.
8teenzmom: My original post is on the original article. I don’t worry about backlash. But you have helped my thinking evolve so that I agree that, even if the drunken driver easy in his own lane, this might not have happened if he wasn’t under the influence.
To the ignorant ass, “BleeBoo”
Those three wooden crosses were out of respect to the deceased and their loved ones. Also, there is a song by Randy Travis that may correlate in some way to this tragedy. Crosses are a symbol of paying respect to the dead and symbolizes a loss of life. Your religious view is irrelevant when you pass away suddenly. Now let’s review the “if it smells like a duck, walks like a duck, it probably is a duck” motyo. Regardless of personal speculation, there is a professional team investigating this accident fully especially dealing with minors and fatalities. Sadly the 13 yr old girl who passed was a classmates daughter. Focus your energy & opinions where it’s best suited. Thoughts & prayers for all.
I see Bill S. removed his original post and replaced with more nonsense. What happened didn’t like the backlash. And your acquaintance has nothing to do with this situation. Although to bad he or she can’t see the dangers. Nice to see you finally managed to see that had Rogerson not been drinking he may have been able to avoid this accident.
Agree with outlander about Bleebloo. I am sure the people who placed {friends of the deceased btw} the crosses there, know their beliefs. Its a memorial so don’t be an A$$, let them have their memorial with out your views on religion. I don’t believe, but if someone put a cross up for me if it were of comfort to survivors so be it.
Is there even enough seatbelts for 8 people in that vehicle?
Bleeboo, You sound like the typical Seattle doosh.
I too think that the teenagers, including the deceased driver should have been tested for alcohol in their system. It has be full circle.
Exactly BleeBloo, Christians never take into consideration the insult their religion has on some people. Christians just assume that everybody is accepting of their fantasy beliefs.
I often wonder how they would like it if they died and somebody put up an alter to Satan because they assumed that everybody was accepting of Satanism.
whomever put up the crosses should have checked to see if any of the deceased were actually religious. I certainly wouldn’t want a religious symbol glorifying a religion i don’t believe in at the place where I died.
“If you politicize tragedy, no matter which side, congratulations. You’re an asshole.”
Prayers to the people and families on both sides.
The posts by the three ‘b’s’ offer a perfect example of the tripe spouted by people I’ve heard on local media – all too often.
Blame those young people – “they’re just no good. Not like “we” were.”
If those three actually took the time to read the article they’d have read the notably intoxicated Rogerson’s drunken statement, doesn’t line up with the facts at the scene.
HE WAS THE ONE UNDER THE INFLUENCE NOT THE KIDS.
Sure is nice that you can buy alcohol on every street corner. The companies advertise along our roadways also. Yet trying to open a Medical Marijuana store in Centralia gets you thrown in jail. Alcohol is just like Heroin the withdraw causes seizures and many other harmful side effects yet you can buy this poison anywhere. If Marijuana would of been legal along time ago i believe that many alcoholics would of chose marijuana over alcohol. Its really a shame that alcohol is more acceptable than marijuana. I think in the future there will be no such thing as a DUI cars will drive themselves. I understand the familys pain i was hit by a drunk driver not once but twice. The effects have lasted me a life time. Im sorry for your loss. Marijuana use is much safer than alcohol yet the Government has demonized it for decades.
I thought the little girl was 13?
Aj wouldn’t do that to his sister and her friends. He was merely dropping the girls off at home. Simple as that. No yelling out the window or boozing it up. He was very responsible and loved his family and friends very much. I agree to letting the investigation reveal what happened. But wanted to add what I knew about aj after having the opportunity to get to know him. RIP Aj, Taylor, and Dakota.
I had an acquaintance who is a chronic drunk driver having had 5 DUIs and #6 being felony control of a motor vehicle while intoxicated. Having blown something like a .25 when the WSP pulled him from the vehicle stopped on the side of the road.
I don’t understand the state issuing drivers licenses to people having more than 3 DUI offences. I think that you should lose your right to drive forever on the third strike.
We did a lot to try to help this person before he went to jail the last time and we begged him not to drive as he was always drunk. When he got out of jail for the last offence we told him that we wanted nothing more to do with him and wanted no further contact. We are just burned out.
Fortunately this guy has not injured or killed anyone but that’s just luck as he easily could have wiped out a whole family.
I believe that this person will drive again with or without a license and perhaps he will kill someone eventually. He has spent more time in jail or prison during this century than murderers but that is the only way he stays sober and off the road.
Not saying Rogerson caused the accident, but as others have stated, there is a strong possibility that the accident wouldn’t have happened if he hadn’t been drinking. He either wouldn’t have been on the wrong side of the road or would have been able to avoid the other vehicle if it had crossed the centerline.
I just wanted to say that, besides being extremely sympathetic to all the families involved, if I was the driver of the minivan I do not think I would even come close to passing a field sobriety test. Intoxicated or not. I mean, get real! The guy just did cpr on a deceased kid besides the shock of a freaking head on collision! How on earth could anyone NOT be unsteady on their feet after having experienced that?
I absolutely do not feel anything excuses driving while under the influence by any means, but I do feel for the guy for what he has been through. I am also very disgusted with comments from people assuming a car full of young people must be up to no good. I hate when people are so quick to jump to negative conclusions about something they know absolutely nothing about.
I did not know any of the people involved & the only info I have about the accident was from reading the sirens, however, I have been praying for all involved as well as any witnesses & emergency personnel. I am truly sorry this has happened.
I am in no way saying that the teenage driver is or isn’t at fault but I live near the school in Napavine where they were coming from volleyball that night, cars generally race up and down my street window’s down blaring music, yelling, general teenage behavior.. what I do know is that I saw that SUV the night of the accident and the driver appeared to be driver appropriately, what caught my attention the car just in front of him rolled thru the stop sign and sped off down the road like a bat out of hell. The SUV came to a complete stop, what happened after that only god knows. On the flipside Mr. Rogerson whom it has been indicated has a history of dui, made a conscious decision to drink and then get into his car and drive, and if the troopers were able to smell alcohol in his automobile, it is pretty clear that he had more than “a beer” five hours earlier. No one has yet to mention if the wife was sober or intoxicated and if she wasn’t and knew he was she should have stepped up and taken the wheel. I believe if even the SUV was over the centerline, had the driver of the van not been drinking he would have been able to reaction time would have possibly allowed him to avoid the SUV…the fact he was not able to clearly pass field sobriety and refused Breathalyzer, pretty much indicates he knew he was in the wrong. $5000 bail was much too low for three lives lost, but at least the court is attempting to keep him in check by the bracelet, ignition interlock and court order to stay away from bars. It will certainly be interesting to see how this investigation turns out over the coming weeks. But more importantly, the families of the lost ones need to have the support for children lost way too soon, but yet they also need to the privacy to grieve. so let’s leave the “TESTED” and dead driver! comments out. I am sure that the WSP is quite capable of conducting an investigation.
Having known the driver personally, i can say that AJ Mullinax would NEVER drive under the influence with such young people in his vehicle. He wasn’t by any means a perfect kid, but he cared about people and would never endanger children. Its sickening how people are trying to point fingers to a dead teenager they knew nothing about, while the other driver was obviously intoxicated to the point he denied a brethalyzer test. he deserves vehicular manslaughter in my opinion.
I agree Bob but I think alot of people have already made up thier mind as to whose to blame for this deadly accident. I myself think a 17 year old driver with 7 young passengers in a car at night is bound for trouble. I also think a driver who has been drinking is bound for trouble.
Let’s just hope all those teenagers were “TESTED” for drugs and alcohol! Including the dead driver!
Their is more to this story than is being reported. lets not turn this into a public trial. Let justice work. This is a sad case all the way round.