VANCOUVER, Wash. — A man accused of killing a man in a hit-and-run crash while driving a stolen truck earlier this year in the Hazel Dell area of Clark County was arrested Wednesday in Vancouver, the Clark County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) reported.
The suspect, 47-year-old Joseph A. Rachauskas, faces charges of vehicular homicide, possession of a stolen vehicle and hit and run. Rachauskas was also wanted by multiple agencies in Oregon and southwest Washington for other crimes, which CCSO did not specify.
On Jan. 23, 2022, just before 1 a.m., a Ford F250 pickup truck was traveling south on Northeast Highway 99 in Hazell Dell when it ran a red light at 88th Street and hit a gray 2013 Mercedes sedan that was traveling east through the intersection. The truck had been reported stolen by the Washington County Sheriff's Office.
The driver of the Mercedes, 52-year-old William Stevens of Vancouver, had to be extracted from the car. He was taken to PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center, where he died from his injuries.
The driver of the F250 ran away from the scene, east on 88th Street. Police searched the area, including using a K9 unit, but didn't find the suspect.
In the five months since the crash, CCSO said they identified Rachauskas as the suspect and developed probable cause to arrest him for the fatal hit-and-run crash. On Wednesday, detectives spotted Rachauskas in the parking lot of a Fred Meyer on Northeast Highway 99 in Vancouver and with the help of Washougal police, took him into custody.
