Update: Man Killed in Sumas Car Crash Identified

Sumas, WA: The Washington State Patrol responded to a fatal car accident in the 3000 block of Clearbrook Road in Sumas around 6 pm this evening.  The area is said to be behind the Nooksack High School.

According to Trooper Mark Francis, Marcelino PerfectoGarcia, 24 of Lynden was driving a blue 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse  Westbound on ClearBrook Road when the  driver  lost control of the vehicle.  The vehicle left the roadway to the right, struck two fences and went down a  30 or 40 foot embankment.

A male passenger, 25 year old Ruben Vazqueztellez, was impaled by a piece of the fence and died at the scene.

The driver,  took off running from the vehicle after the crash.  He was later apprehended with the help of a police K-9 and an aircraft from from Customs and the Border Patrol was assisting with the search as well.

Trooper Francis says alcohol was a factor in the accident.

The Driver was arrested and is being held on charges of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol, Hit and Run and Vehicular Homicide.

A witness we spoke to,  said she heard the accident and went to help. She said she saw the male driver running  from the scene after the accident.